title: Kinetics of surfactant in respiratory diseases of the newborn infant.
abstract: Deficiency or dysfunction of pulmonary surfactant plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of respiratory diseases in the newborn. We describe the studies made by applying two recently developed methods to measure surfactant kinetics. The first allows the measurement of endogenous surfactant phosphatidylcholine (PC) synthesis and kinetics by a constant intravenous infusion of glucose or fatty acids labeled with stable isotope 13C. The second method consists of endotracheal administration of a tracer dose of 13C-labeled dipalmitoyl-phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) to measure disaturated-phosphatidylcholine (DSPC) half-life and apparent pool size. We present the results of surfactant kinetics in some of the respiratory diseases of the newborn infant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Padova, Padova, Italy. verlato@pediatria.unipd.it
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Verlato
authors.forename: P E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Cogo
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Benetti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gomirato
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gucciardi
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Carnielli
mesh_terms: D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007232:Infant, Newborn, Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D010713:Phosphatidylcholines / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000493:pharmacokinetics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D010713:Phosphatidylcholines; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D015060:1,2-Dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine