Prevention of hyaline membrane disease with plasminogen. Preliminary report of a cooperative study

Area of Science:

• Neonatal Medicine
• Pediatric Critical Care
• Hematology

Background:

• Premature infants face high risks of respiratory distress and mortality.
• Hyaline membrane disease is a leading cause of death in preterm neonates.
• Plasminogen's role in neonatal care is an area of ongoing research.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of intravenous plasminogen in preventing adverse outcomes in premature infants.
• To assess the impact of early plasminogen administration on respiratory distress and mortality.

Main Methods:

• A double-blind, randomized controlled trial involving 500 premature infants.
• Infants received either intravenous plasminogen or a placebo within 60 minutes of birth.
• Outcomes measured included severe clinical respiratory distress, death from hyaline membrane disease, and total mortality.

Main Results:

• Plasminogen-treated infants showed a significant reduction in severe clinical respiratory distress.
• A notable decrease in deaths attributed to hyaline membrane disease was observed in the plasminogen group.
• Total mortality was significantly lower in infants receiving plasminogen compared to the placebo group.

Conclusions:

• Early intravenous administration of plasminogen is effective in reducing severe respiratory distress in premature infants.
• Plasminogen treatment significantly lowers mortality associated with hyaline membrane disease and overall mortality.
• Intravenous plasminogen represents a promising therapeutic strategy for improving neonatal outcomes in preterm infants.