[Short and mid-term outcome of a cohort of 1157 newborn infants with respiratory distress syndrome].

Abstract Data concerning neonates with acute respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) are still scarce. The characteristics and follow-up of a French cohort which has participated in an international trial concerning the efficacy of artificial surfactant have been studied. One thousand one hundred and fifty-seven neonates admitted from October 1990 to December 1991 in 27 French intensive care units because of RDS due to hyaline membrane disease were included in the study, whatever their birthweight and gestational age (GA). Three hundred and sixteen neonates (27.3%) were born from twin or multiple pregnancies. Fourty-five (5.5%) of the mothers had been given corticosteroids for the week preceding delivery. 55.5% were delivered by cesarean section. Mean GA was 31.0 +/- 2.9 weeks and mean birth-weight was 1,603 +/- 625 g. Two hundred and sixty-six neonates (23%) were small for GA. Two hundred and twenty-three died after a mean survival of 4.2 days (63% before the end of the first week and 80% before the end of the third week). Fifty percent of these deaths were due to respiratory distress, 28% to severe brain disorders and 9% to infections. The bronchopulmonary dysplasia rate was 21.7%. Early ultrasound scan of the brain showed major injuries in 19.5% of cases; the second scan performed in 822 infants was normal in 84.3%. Taking into account GA, mortality and morbidity rates were similar to those of the other non-French participating centres.