M. Rey et al., SURFACTANT BOLUS INSTILLATION - EFFECTS OF DIFFERENT DOSES ON BLOOD-PRESSURE AND CEREBRAL BLOOD-FLOW VELOCITIES, Biology of the neonate, 66(1), 1994, pp. 16-21
Fifteen preterm infants suffering from respiratory distress syndrome w
ere randomly allocated to receive either high-dose (200 mg/kg) or low-
dose (100 mg/kg) surfactant treatment. Retreatments were done with the
low dose. Blood pressure, blood gases and cerebral blood flow velocit
ies were determined before and after 24 bolus instillations. With the
high dose mean blood pressure and mean cerebral blood flow velocity dr
opped significantly. With the low dose only mean cerebral blood flow v
elocity decreased; the course was unrelated to blood pressure or PCO2
fluctuations. The mechanisms leading to the observed circulatory chang
es after surfactant instillation remain unclear.