The Value of Surfactant Therapy in Preterm Neonates with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

The currents study was planned and conducted to evaluate the use of surfactant therapy in preterm neonates with respiratory distress in Al-Diwaniyah Maternity and Children Teaching Hospital. The present cohort study included 186 preterm neonates who were randomly selected from the pool of neonates admitted to Al- Diwaniyah Maternity and children teaching hospital, Al-Diwaniyah province, Iraq. There was no significant association between frequency of other complications and treatment method whether prophylactic, early rescue and late rescue (P> 0.05). Morality was significantly higher in prophylactic method in comparison to early rescue method (P = 0.002); and also it was higher than that seen in association with late rescue method with a borderline significant level (P = 0.073). Mortality was also significantly associated with less gestational age (P< 0.001). The rate of complications was significantly less in continuous positive air pressure (CPAP) ventilation method in comparison with mask method (P = 0.006). Sepsis and BPD were significantly less frequent in CPAP method (P< 0.05); whereas, nasal trauma, and air leaks were significantly less in mask method (P< 0.05).