Polymorphisms of surfactant protein B encoding gene: modifiers of the course of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome?

Unlabelled: Surfactant protein B (SP-B) is a lipophilic protein and plays a major role in lung mechanics. Polymorphisms of surfactant protein A, another component of the surfactant system, have been previously described to be a risk factor for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) and bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) in preterms. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether polymorphisms within intron 4 of the SP-B gene are related to the incidence, severity and complications of RDS in Caucasian newborns.