A retrospective study on the role of surfactants in respiratory distress syndrome among neonates admitted in the neonatal intensive care unit at a tertiary care hospital in Western India

Abstract

ABSTRACT Background and Aims: Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) is one of the leading causative factors of morbidity and mortality in neonates of developing countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate role of Surfactants in RDS with due regard to administration timing, outcome and comparison between two natural surfactants- Survanta (bovine lung extract), and Curosurf (Poractant alfa). Methods: A Retrospective Study was conducted on neonates admitted between 16th May, 2021 to 15th Nov, 2022 (for 18 months duration) at NICU of GMERS Medical College, Gandhinagar. A dataset was created consisting of neonates with final diagnosis of RDS who received Surfactant and outcome was analyzed based on various parameters. Results: Out of 2001 NICU Admissions, 176 (8.79 %) were RDS cases. Out of 176 RDS cases, 131 (74.43 %) were inborn and 45 (25.57 %) were outborn, 96 (54.54 %) were male and 80 (45.46 %) were female cases. Among 176 RDS cases, 92 (54.27 %) cases were treated with Curosurf, and 84 (47.73 %) were treated with Survanta. Out of 128 cases where surfactant administered within first 6 hrs of birth had 106 cases (82.81 %) successfully discharged and 22 (17.19 %) died and out of 48 cases where surfactant is given beyond 48 hrs, 21 (43.75 %) cases were successfully discharged and 27 (56.25 %) cases were expired. Conclusion: Study reveals that RDS cases are invariably related to preterms (161 / 91.5 %) and Low Birth Weight 63 (35.79%) neonates. It has been observed after comparing 112 (63.63 %) successfully discharged and 49 (27.84 %) expired cases that early administration of Surfactant is having a good outcome. Study reveals that there were no significant difference in mortality between Curosurf and Surventa. However, need for repeated doses in Curosurf group is less than Surventa.