Surfactant Deficiency in Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn

• Published in: The Journal of pediatrics Vol. 159; no. 5; pp. 750 - 754
• Main Authors: Machado, Liane Unchalo, MSc, Fiori, Humberto Holmer, MD, PhD, Baldisserotto, Matteo, MD, PhD, Ramos Garcia, Pedro Celiny, MD, PhD, Vieira, Ana Cláudia Garcia, PhD, Fiori, Renato Machado, MD, PhD
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Maryland Heights, MO Elsevier Inc 01.11.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Case-Control Studies; Female; Gastric Juice - chemistry; General aspects; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Lung - embryology; Male; Medical sciences; Microbubbles; Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; Pediatrics; Pneumology; Prospective Studies; Pulmonary Surfactants - analysis; Respiration, Artificial; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn - etiology; Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn - therapy; Respiratory system : syndromes and miscellaneous diseases; Transient Tachypnea of the Newborn - complications; RDS; Transient tachypnea of the newborn; Respiratory distress syndrome; DTT; Dithiothreitol; TTN; Human; Pediatrics; Newborn; Tachypnea; Respiratory disease; Lung surfactant deficiency; Transitory; Transients
• ISSN: 0022-3476; 1097-6833
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2011.04.023

Objective To evaluate surfactant production and function in term neonates with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN). Study design Samples of gastric aspirates collected within 30 minutes of birth from 42 term newborns with gestational age ≥37 weeks (21 patients with TTN and 21 control subjects), delivered via elective cesarean delivery, were analyzed with lamellar body count and stable microbubble test. Results Results of lamellar body counts and stable microbubble tests were significantly lower in the TTN group than in control subjects ( P = .004 and .013, respectively). Lamellar body counts were significantly lower in infants with TTN requiring oxygen for ≥24 hours after birth than in infants requiring oxygen for <24 hours ( P = .029). When the cutoff point was 48 hours, the stable microbubble count was significantly lower in the group requiring oxygen for ≥48 hours than in the group requiring oxygen for <48 hours ( P = .047). Conclusions Term infants with TTN had low lamellar body counts associated with decreased surfactant function, suggesting that prolonged disease is associated with surfactant abnormalities.