SURFACE-TENSION MEASUREMENTS ON PHARYNGEAL AND TRACHEAL ASPIRATE SAMPLES FROM NEWBORNS WITHOUT AND WITH RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS SYNDROME

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.