Clinical effects of pulmonary surfactant in combination with nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy on neonatal respiratory distress syndrome

Objective: To analyze the therapeutic effect of pulmonary surfactant (PS) in combination with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (NCPAP) therapy on neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS).

Methodology: Forty-nine neonates who were diagnosed as NRDS and admitted in our hospital from May 2014 to June 2015 were selected and divided into an observation group and a control group. The observation group was treated with PS and NCPAP. The control group was treated only with NCPAP. The clinical symptoms, pulmonary X-ray, arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and prognosis of the two groups were observed.

Results: Twelve hours after treatment, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide and oxygenation index decreased significantly (P<0.05), and PaO2 and ratio of arterial/pulmonary oxygen partial pressures increased significantly (P<0.05). Pulmonary X-ray examination showed that 78.3% of the observation group and 53.8% of the control group were relieved 12-24 hour after treatment, between which the difference was statistically significant (P<0.05). The improvement rate of the observation group was significantly higher than that of the control group (82.6% vs. 57.7%, P<0.05), the incidence of complications was significantly lower in the observation group (P<0.05), and the average length of stay in the observation group was significantly shorter (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Both methods effectively treated NRDS, but PS in combination with NCPAP better improved oxygenation, reduced mortality and incidence of complications.