title: Surfactant aerosol treatment of respiratory distress syndrome in the spontaneously breathing premature rabbit.
abstract: Surfactant deficiency in premature neonates is a major factor in the development of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), which is still a significant cause of mortality and morbidity. The aim of this study was to test a noninvasive method of administering surfactant as treatment for RDS. The animal model used was the premature neonatal rabbit of 27-d gestation (full-term being 31 d) primed with an initial oropharyngeal dose of surfactant. The animals were divided into three groups that received either no supplemental surfactant (n = 20), undried nebulized surfactant (n = 21), or dried nebulized surfactant (n = 24). Drying of the surfactant solution was undertaken to create a hygroscopic aerosol that would facilitate surfactant deposition in the lower respiratory tract. The group treated with dried surfactant aerosol showed superior survival (66.7%) and less evidence of RDS. The control and undried aerosol groups each had similar low survival rates (23.8 and 45.0%, respectively). The results indicate that a dried, hygroscopic aerosol is an effective means of administration of surfactant to spontaneously breathing premature rabbit neonates.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Otago Medical School, Dunedin, New Zealand.
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Ellyett
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Broadbent
authors.forename: E R
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Fawcett
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Campbell
mesh_terms: D000336:Aerosols; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008170:Lung Compliance; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012756:Sheep; D013534:Survival
chemical_list: D000336:Aerosols; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants