Immediate changes in lung compliance following natural surfactant administration in premature infants with respiratory distress syndrome: A controlled trial

Objective: To compare immediate changes in lung compliance following the administration of two commercially available natural surfactants. Method: We conducted a prospective, randomized study of 40 preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome requiring surfactant. Infants received either Infasurf® or Survanta®. The primary outcome measure was the change in compliance assessed by bedside pulmonary monitoring. Results: There were no significant changes in dynamic lung compliance within or between the two groups 1 hour after surfactant administration. However, infants given Survanta required more doses per patient (4 vs 2, p = 0.05) and were more likely to require > 2 doses (57 vs 26%, p = 0.05). Infants requiring > 1 dose of surfactant had a greater change in airway pressure and improved oxygenation just before the second dose when treated with Infasurf. Conclusions: We found no significant difference in acute changes in lung compliance. However, treatment with infasurf seems to be more long lasting than Survanta. © 2004 Nature Publishing Group. All rights reserved.