Activation of the inflammatory reaction within minutes after birth in ventilated preterm lambs with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome.

To study the activation of the inflammatory reaction within minutes after birth, we measured parameters of inflammation before and immediately after birth. To assess whether respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) or birth itself initiates activation, we compared preterm ventilated lambs with term nonventilated lambs. Preterm lambs were delivered by cesarean section at 132 days gestational age (term 145 days) and were ventilated by conventional ventilation (n = 9).

Antenatal glucocorticoids attenuate activation of the inflammatory reaction and clotting in preterm lambs.

Recently we have shown that activation of inflammatory reaction and clotting can be found immediately after delivery in preterm lambs ventilated for respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). To investigate whether antenatal glucocorticoids would attenuate postnatal activation of the inflammatory reaction and clotting, we studied ventilated preterm lambs delivered by cesarean section, 24 h after antenatal administration of betamethasone or placebo. Blood was sampled before clamping the cord, 5, 10, and 15 min after delivery, and 2-hourly afterwards.