title: Calfactant.
abstract: Surfactant administration has proven remarkably effective in the prevention and treatment of infantile respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS) and may also be beneficial in other forms of acute lung injury. Several surfactant products are available commercially along with others in various phases of development and clinical trials. While all of these products share an ability to lower surface tension in vitro, there are substantial compositional differences that appear to affect their in vivo efficacy. At present, the 'modified natural' surfactants containing the hydrophobic surfactant proteins SP-B and SP-C appear most effective. Calfactant may have a particular advantage because of its relatively high content of SP-B and its lack of contamination with non-surfactant lipids and proteins.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pediatric Critical Care, Pediatric ICU, Children's Medical Center, University of Virginia Health Sciences System, Charlottesville 22908, USA.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Willson
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001688:Biological Products; D006801:Humans; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013501:Surface-Active Agents / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D001688:Biological Products; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D013501:Surface-Active Agents; C117342:calfactant