doiSerbia

Evaluation of surfactant replacement therapy effects: A new potential role of lung ultrasound

Lovrenski Jovan (Institute for Children and Adolescents Health Care of Vojvodina, Radiology Department, Novi Sad + Medical Faculty, Novi Sad)
Sorantin Erich (Medical University, Department of Radiology, Division of Pediatric Radiology, Graz, Austria)
Stojanović Sanja (Medical Faculty, Novi Sad + Clinical Center of Vojvodina, Institute of Radiology, Novi Sad)
Doronjski Aleksandra (Medical Faculty, Novi Sad + Institute for Children and Adolescents Health Care of Vojvodina, Center for Intensive Care and Neonatology, Novi Sad)
Lovrenski Aleksandra (Medical Faculty, Novi Sad + Institute for Lung Diseases of Vojvodina, Pathology Department, Novi Sad)

Introduction. Previous studies suggested that effects of the surfactant administration in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome cannot be followed by lung ultrasound (L-US). Objective. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the surfactant replacement therapy effects using a new, proposed grading system for L-US findings. Methods. We report the series of 12 preterm infants with clinical and radiographic signs of respiratory distress syndrome, in whom L-US examinations were performed prior to, and within the first 24 hours after surfactant administration. To evaluate the surfactant replacement therapy effects, we proposed a new grading system (1 to 6) for L-US findings at each examined lung area, based on the presence of normal finding, the amount of B-lines and subpleural consolidations. Results. All preterm infants had an improvement of L-US findings from one to four grades observed within the first 24 hours after surfactant administration, which has not been previously reported. The improvement of L-US findings was most commonly observed in anterior lung areas. Conclusion. L-US might enable an early detection of the surfactant replacement therapy effects. Further prospective studies are necessary to define the role of L-US in this field.

Keywords: respiratory distress syndrome, premature, ultrasound, lung, surfactant