Respiratory Distress Syndrome or neonatal respiratory distress syndrome or RDS of newborn or idiopathic RDS of newborn:
Definition:
Dyspnea with cyanosis (bluish appearance) in the newborn, a condition caused by deficiency of surfactant.
Prodromal signs:
1. Dilatation of the alae nasi
2. Expiratory grunt
3. Retraction of suprasternal notch or costal margins
4. Tachypnea
5. Cyanosis
6. Head bobbing
Seen in:
Infants who are premature, have diabetic mothers, or were delivered by cesarean section; sometimes there is no known cause.
Some infants die of respiratory failure in the first few days of life and at autopsy have an eosinophilic hyaline material lining the alveoli, alveolar ducts, and bronchioles.
Diagnostic test:
Indicative of neonatal RDS is lecithin : sphingomyelin = less than 1.5 in amniotic fluid
and if greater than 2, lungs have matured
Treatment:
1. Maternal steroids before birth (to speed up lung maturity)
2. Give artificial surfactant
