| Abstract: | Dynamic compliance (Cdyn) measurements within the first three days of life predicted survival in 60 preterm infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome. Cdyn was measured in 47 survivors at 2.3 +/- 1.4 days of life and in 13 nonsurvivors on 2.7 +/- 1.7 days. All nonsurvivors died from respiratory failure within the first two weeks of life. Mean Cdyn of the survivors was 0.83 +/- 0.33 ml/cm H2O and of the nonsurvivors 0.35 +/- 0.19 ml/cm H2O (p less than 0.001). Cdyn values below 0.45 ml/cm H2O predicted 11 of 13 deaths in infants, and Cdyn measurements above this value predicted 45 of 47 survivals, with a specificity of 81% and a sensitivity of 89%. Eleven of the survivors, who subsequently developed bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD), had a mean Cdyn of 0.56 +/- 0.23 ml/cm H2O. When these infants were matched with infants of comparable weight without evidence of BPD, the BPD group had a significantly lower Cdyn (p less than 0.05). Cdyn measurements during the first three days of life are useful in predicting outcome of respiratory failure secondary to respiratory distress syndrome. |
