title: Antenatal ambroxol treatment does not prevent the respiratory distress syndrome in premature infants.
abstract: The effectiveness of ambroxol in the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and in reducing the need for intermittent mandatory ventilation and oxygen therapy was studied in 88 mothers whose infants was born between 24 and 34 weeks of gestation and who were randomized either for treatment with ambroxol (group A = 42) or served as control (group B = 46). There were no significant differences in the mean gestational age, birth weight or Apgar score between the two groups. We found no significant differences in occurrence of respiratory distress syndrome (55% vs 45%), in support by intermittent mandatory ventilation (71% vs 72%) or oxygen therapy (74% vs 75%) at 12 h of age between groups A and B.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study does not suggest the efficacy of antenatal ambroxol treatment both for the prevention of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome and for the reduction of its severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Florence School of Medicine, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dani
authors.forename: P V
authors.initials: PV
authors.lastname: Grella
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lazzarin
authors.forename: F F
authors.initials: FF
authors.lastname: Rubaltelli
mesh_terms: D000551:Ambroxol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005100:Expectorants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D016017:Odds Ratio; D018743:Perinatal Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D005100:Expectorants; D000551:Ambroxol