SEVERITY OF RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS SYNDROME WITH LOW LECITHIN - SPHINGOMYELIN RATIO

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 57  (4) , 426-430
Abstract
The frequency and severity of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) were evaluated in 69 infants whose amniotic fluid lecithin:sphingomyelin (L:S) ratio was less than 2. Amniotic fluid was obtained at the time of either nonelective or elective cesarean section in 58 cases. An additional 11 patients were delivered within 48 h after amniocentesis. Gestational ages ranged from 27-41 wk. Few women were in labor, none had ruptured membranes for more than 12 h and all but 3 were delivered by cesarean section. A variety of pregnancy complications were represented. All 14 infants with an L:S ratio less than 0.5 developed RDS, and 10 died. Of 19 infants with an L:S ratio of 0.5-0.99, 8 developed RDS; 3 of the 8 died and another 3 required ventilatory support. Of 36 infants whose L:S ratio exceeded 1.0, only 1 developed RDS. No infant who had an L:S ratio greater than 0.8 died of RDS, and RDS was absent in infants with an L:S ratio as low as 0.6. These findings could not be attributed to intraassay or interassay variability or to laboratory methodology. The importance of individual laboratory evaluation of L:S values in relation to respiratory outcome in emphasized.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: