Gastric aspirate shake test for diagnosis of surfactant deficiency in neonates with respiratory distress.
The gastric aspirate shake test (GST) was evaluated in 77 newborns with respiratory distress for predicting hyaline membrane disease (HMD) at KEM Hospital, Pune, India.


METHODS
Over 0.5 ml of gastric fluid was obtained within 30 min of birth and mixed with an equal volume of normal saline for 10 sec; 1 ml of 95% ethanol was then added and the mixture agitated for 10 sec. After standing for 15 min, the air-liquid interface was examined for bubbles.


RESULTS
All 21 infants with a negative GST developed HMD. However, 12 infants with an intermediate and nine with a positive test also developed HMD. None of the infants with other respiratory disorders, e.g. transient tachypnoea and pneumonia, had a negative GST. A negative GST had a specificity of 100%, sensitivity of 70% and positive predictive value of 100% for developing HMD.


CONCLUSIONS
GST is a useful test for predicting HMD and might be of particular value in developing countries.
Chaudhari
R
R
Division of Neonatology, Department of Pediatrics, KEM Hospital, Pune, India.
Deodhar
J
J
Kadam
S
S
Bavdekar
A
A
Pandit
A
A
D005260:Female; D005750:Gastric Juice; D006801:Humans; D006819:Hyaline Membrane Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000032:analysis; D012131:Respiratory Insufficiency / Q000503:physiopathology*
D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants