W. Friedrich et al., SURFACE-TENSION MEASUREMENTS ON PHARYNGEAL AND TRACHEAL ASPIRATE SAMPLES FROM NEWBORNS WITHOUT AND WITH RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS SYNDROME, Biology of the neonate, 70(2), 1996, pp. 75-83
A rapid test determining surfactant deficiency or dysfunction might he
lp in controlling therapy of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Fort
y tracheal aspirate samples (TA) from 40 newborns with RDS (group 1) a
nd 46 pharyngeal from 46 newborns without RDS (reference group) were a
nalyzed by surface tension measurement with the pulsating bubble surfa
ctometer. Five surface tension parameters were compared. Marked differ
ences between both groups could be noted for the parameters: minimum s
urface tension (gamma min) and stability index (S), while maximum surf
ace tension (gamma max), surface tension after a 10-second adsorption
period and hysteresis area did not have striking differences. The para
meters gamma min and S have the highest diagnostic value for determini
ng surfactant deficiency or dysfunction. For a rapid test it is suffic
ient to compare gamma min with reference values, because S is calculat
ed from gamma min and gamma max.