Surface tension measurements on pharyngeal and tracheal aspirate samples from newborns without and with respiratory distress syndrome.

Abstract

A rapid test determining surfactant deficiency or dysfunction might help in controlling therapy of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Forty tracheal aspirate samples (TA) from 40 newborns with RDS (group 1) and 46 pharyngeal from 46 newborns without RDS (reference group) were analyzed by surface tension measurement with the pulsating bubble surfactometer. Five surface tension parameters were compared. Marked differences between both groups could be noted for the parameters: minimum surface tension (gamma min) and stability index (S), while maximum surface tension (gamma max), surface tension after a 10-second adsorption period and hysteresis area did not have striking differences. The parameters gamma min and S have the highest diagnostic value for determining surfactant deficiency or dysfunction. For a rapid test it is sufficient to compare gamma min with reference values, because S is calculated from gamma min and gamma max.