Lung Ultrasound Score for Prediction of Surfactant Administration in Preterm Infants with Respiratory Failure.

Objective: We investigated the predictive value of a lung ultrasound score (LUS) for surfactant administration in a United States Level 4 Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Study Design: Thirty infants born at <37 weeks gestational age with respiratory distress syndrome associated respiratory failure requiring continuous positive airway pressure were included. A LUS was obtained within six hours of life.

Effects of surfactant lipids and surfactant protein a on host defense functions of rat alveolar macrophages.

Survanta is commonly used as replacement therapy in newborn infants suffering from surfactant deficiency. We investigated the effects of Survanta and surfactant-like liposomes in the presence and absence of surfactant protein A (SP-A) on host defense functions of rat alveolar macrophages (AM). Phagocytosis of Streptococcus pneumoniae by AM was significantly inhibited in the presence of 100 microg/mL of Survanta.