title: Surfactant for meconium aspiration syndrome in term and late preterm infants.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Surfactant replacement therapy has been proven beneficial in the prevention and treatment of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). The deficiency of surfactant or surfactant dysfunction may contribute to respiratory failure in a broader group of disorders, including meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS).
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the effect of surfactant administration in the treatment of late preterm and term infants with meconium aspiration syndrome.
  
  
  METHODS
  We searched The Cochrane Library (Issue 4, 2006), MEDLINE and EMBASE (1985 to December 2006), previous reviews including cross-references, abstracts, conference and symposia proceedings, expert informants, and journal handsearching, without language restrictions. We contacted study authors for additional data.We ran an updated search in November 2014 and searched the following sites for ongoing or recently completed trials: www.clinicaltrials.gov; www.controlled-trials.com; and www.who.int/ictrp.
  
  
  METHODS
  Randomised controlled trials which evaluated the effect of surfactant administration in late preterm and term infants with meconium aspiration syndrome are included in the analyses.
  
  
  METHODS
  We extracted data on clinical outcomes including mortality, treatment with extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), pneumothorax, duration of assisted ventilation, duration of supplemental oxygen, intraventricular haemorrhage (any grade and severe IVH), and chronic lung disease. We conducted data analyses in accordance with the standards of the Cochrane Neonatal Review Group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Four randomised controlled trials met our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis of four trials (326 infants) showed no statistically significant effect on mortality [typical risk ratio (RR) 0.98, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.41 to 2.39; typical risk difference (RD) -0.00, 95% CI -0.05 to 0.05]. There was no heterogeneity for this outcome (I² = 0% for both RR and RD). The risk of requiring extracorporeal membrane oxygenation was significantly reduced in a meta-analysis of two trials (n = 208); [typical RR 0.64, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.91; typical RD -0.17, 95% CI -0.30 to -0.04; number needed to treat for an additional beneficial outcome (NNTB) 6, 95% CI 3 to 25]. There was no heterogeneity for RR (1² = 0%) but moderate heterogeneity for RD (I² = 50%). One trial (n = 40) reported a statistically significant reduction in the length of hospital stay (mean difference -8 days, 95% CI -14 to -3 days; test for heterogeneity not applicable). There were no statistically significant reductions in any other outcomes studied (duration of assisted ventilation, duration of supplemental oxygen, pneumothorax, pulmonary interstitial emphysema, air leaks, chronic lung disease, need for oxygen at discharge or intraventricular haemorrhage).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In infants with MAS, surfactant administration may reduce the severity of respiratory illness and decrease the number of infants with progressive respiratory failure requiring support with ECMO. The relative efficacy of surfactant therapy compared to, or in conjunction with, other approaches to treatment including inhaled nitric oxide, liquid ventilation, surfactant lavage and high frequency ventilation remains to be tested.
authors.affiliation: The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, 555 University Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Egyptian Neonatal Network (EGNN),Mansoura, Egypt. amr.elshahed@sickkids.ca. amrshahed@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Amr I
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: El Shahed
authors.forename: Peter A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Dargaville
authors.forename: Arne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ohlsson
authors.forename: Roger
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Soll
mesh_terms: D015199:Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008471:Meconium Aspiration Syndrome / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants