title: Effects of surfactant treatment in late preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate surfactant effectiveness for the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in late preterm infants.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective cohort study of infants born between 34+0and 36+6weeks of gestation admitted for respiratory failure in seven perinatal centers from January 2010 to December 2014. We evaluated changes of FiO2, PaO2and a/APO2in surfactant-treated patients, and the need and duration of MV, the duration of noninvasive respiratory support, stay in NICU and in hospital in surfactant-treated and untreated late preterm infants with RDS alone.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We studied 562 infants with RDS, 252 (45%) were treated with surfactant and 310 (55%) were not. FiO2, PaO2and a/APO2significantly improved after surfactant treatment. The adjusted odds ratio for the need of MV and the adjusted differences of duration of noninvasive respiratory support, and of NICU and hospital stay were not different in the surfactant and non-surfactant groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Surfactant therapy was followed by a quick and persisting significant improvement of respiratory function in late preterm infants with RDS. Surfactant did not improve short-term outcomes in our population probably because other factors such as the gestational age, occurrence of complications and poor feeding play a relevant role.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Neurosciences, Psychology , Drug Research and Child Health, University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Carlo
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dani
authors.affiliation: b Department of Clinical Sciences and Community Health, NICU , Università degli Studi di Milano , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mosca
authors.affiliation: c Division of Neonatology , Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A. Gemelli-Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore , Rome , Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Vento
authors.affiliation: d Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit , MBBM Foundation , Monza , Italy.
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tagliabue
authors.affiliation: e Department of Maternal and Child Health, Division of Neonatology and Neonatal Intensive Care , Casilino General Hospital, ASL RM B , Roma , Italy.
authors.forename: Simonetta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Picone
authors.affiliation: f Division of Neonatology , "V. Buzzi" Children's Hospital - ASST FBF/Sacco , Milan , Italy.
authors.forename: Gianluca
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Lista
authors.affiliation: g Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, Institute of Puericulture and Neonatal Section, Department of Surgery , University of Cagliari , Cagliari , Italy.
authors.forename: Vassilios
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Fanos
authors.affiliation: h Division of Neonatology , Careggi University Hospital of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Simone
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pratesi
authors.affiliation: i Clinical Trials Coordinating Center , Istituto Toscano Tumori , Florence , Italy.|j Department of Human Pathology and Oncology , University of Florence , Florence , Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Boni
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D011247:Pregnancy; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D012127:Respiratory Distress Syndrome, Newborn / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants
keywords: Late preterm; infant; respiratory distress syndrome; surfactant