DOUBLE-BLIND EVALUATION OF DEVELOPMENTAL AND HEALTH-STATUS TO AGE 2 YEARS OF INFANTS WEIGHING 700 TO 1350 GRAMS TREATED PROPHYLACTICALLY ATBIRTH WITH A SINGLE-DOSE OF SYNTHETIC SURFACTANT OR AIR PLACEBO

In a previously published article, we reported results of a two-center study of outcome to 28 days of 385 infants with birth weights from 70 0 to 1350 gm who were assigned randomly to receive a single 5 ml/kg in tratracheal dose of either synthetic surfactant or air placebo, Infant s treated with surfactant had a higher rate of survival to 28 days wit hout bronchopulmonary dysplasia than did control subjects given an air placebo, The present study assessed survivors in early childhood to d etermine neurodevelopmental outcome and late morbidity. Two hundred fi fty-eight surviving infants from both centers were evaluated at I-year adjusted age; medical histories were obtained, standard physical and neurologic examinations were performed, and Bayley Scales of Infant De velopment were administered, Ophthalmologic examinations were performe d at various times between 28 days and 1-year adjusted age. At P-years adjusted age, 118 infants from one center were reevaluated with the s ame procedures and also had hearing and speech evaluations, Neither th e 1-year assessment of the entire population nor the 2-year assessment of the one center's cohort revealed physical or neurodevelopmental di fferences between treatment groups, We conclude that administration of a single prophylactic dose of synthetic surfactant to premature infan ts with birth weights from 700 to 1350 grams results in improved survi val rates to 28 days without bronchopulmonary dysplasia and is not ass ociated with adverse health or neurodevelopmental effects at 1-year or 2-years adjusted age.