Surfactant replacement in neonates with early chronic lung disease

To study the effect of a single dose of exogenous bovine surfactant on oxygen and ventilatory requirements of neonates with early chronic lung disease.

Prospective pilot study.

Three regional neonatal intensive care units.

Infants 7 to 30 days old with birth weights less than 1500 g were eligible if they required a fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) of more than 0.4, had stable ventilatory requirements for 24 hours before study entry, and showed diffuse haziness on chest radiographs. Those with patent ductus arteriosus or active infection or those receiving steroid therapy were excluded. After treatment with the surfactant, differences in FIO2 and the ventilator efficiency index were analyzed using the Wilcoxon signed rank test.

Ten patients were recruited. Median values (range): birth weight, 693 g (530 to 1100 g); gestation, 25 weeks (24 to 27 weeks); and postnatal age at study entry, 13 days (9 to 30 days). The FIO2 decreased significantly between 0 and 1 hour after surfactant administration, from a median (range) of 0.67 (0.47 to 0.88) to 0.39 (0.28 to 0.63). This effect was sustained for 24 hours (median FIO2, 0.36). Although the FIO2 subsequently increased to 0.49 (range, 0.35 to 0.88) at 72 hours, it was significantly lower than that entry before the study. There was a trend toward an increase in the ventilator efficiency index at 24 and 48 hours.

A single dose of surfactant is effective in reducing oxygen requirements in neonates with early chronic lung disease. Surfactant replacement may be useful adjunctive therapy in these neonates.