ABSTRACT
The L/S ratio of gastric aspirate was determined in the first day of life in 47 patients with IRDS and in 87 without IRDS. In 97.7% of those without IRDS the gastric L/S ratio was greater than 3.5. Ninety three percent (93%) of the patients with IRDS had a gastric L/S ratio less than 3.5. In these cases the palmitic percentage was 49.1 +/- 11.5 been in normal full term infants 69.4 +/- 5.2 (p less than 0.01). The use of a biochemical score including the L/S ratio and the palmitic acid percentage in patients with IRDS could differentiate survivors and non survivors.
Subject(s)
Amniotic Fluid/analysis , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/diagnosis , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Palmitic Acid , Palmitic Acids/analysis , Phosphatidylcholines/analysis , Prognosis , Sphingomyelins/analysisABSTRACT
Physiopathology of idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome is reviewed and bases for a correct management are given. Special mention is made of pulmonary surfactant system, biosynthesis of surfoactive material and techniques used to predict appearance of pulmonary maturity.
Subject(s)
Pulmonary Alveoli/physiopathology , Pulmonary Surfactants/biosynthesis , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/physiopathology , Amniotic Fluid/analysis , Humans , Infant, Newborn , Prenatal Diagnosis , Pulmonary Surfactants/analysis , Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn/diagnosisABSTRACT
A simplified method is presented to predict localization of the distal tip of the umbilical arterial catheter in thoracic aorta. When the segment of the catheter introduced equals a third of the length of the baby in cms., a correct position between the vertebral bodies of T-6 and T-10 was obtained in more than 90% of the cases. With this technique need to correct the position of the catheter and to obtain repeated roentgenographic controls is avoided.
