Surfactant deficiency in transient tachypnea of the newborn.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate surfactant production and function in term neonates with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN).

STUDY DESIGN: Samples of gastric aspirates collected within 30 minutes of birth from 42 term newborns with gestational age ≥ 37 weeks (21 patients with TTN and 21 control subjects), delivered via elective cesarean delivery, were analyzed with lamellar body count and stable microbubble test.

RESULTS: Results of lamellar body counts and stable microbubble tests were significantly lower in the TTN group than in control subjects (P = .004 and .013, respectively). Lamellar body counts were significantly lower in infants with TTN requiring oxygen for ≥ 24 hours after birth than in infants requiring oxygen for < 24 hours (P = .029). When the cutoff point was 48 hours, the stable microbubble count was significantly lower in the group requiring oxygen for ≥ 48 hours than in the group requiring oxygen for < 48 hours (P = .047).

CONCLUSIONS: Term infants with TTN had low lamellar body counts associated with decreased surfactant function, suggesting that prolonged disease is associated with surfactant abnormalities.