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Surfactant Apoprotein A (SP‐A) in Tracheal Aspirates of Newborn Infants with RDS
Author(s) -
Eguchi Hideshi,
Koyama Norihisa,
Tanaka Taihei,
Kamiya Kenji,
Ogawa Yunosuke
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
pediatrics international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.49
H-Index - 63
eISSN - 1442-200X
pISSN - 1328-8067
DOI - 10.1111/j.1442-200x.1991.tb01880.x
Subject(s) - medicine , pulmonary surfactant , pediatrics , biochemistry , chemistry
Human pulmonary surfactant contains four groups of apoproteins, SP‐A, B, C and D. We determined the concentration of SP‐A in the tracheal aspirate of newborn infants by a two‐site simultaneous immunoassay with monoclonal antibodies, and used this assay to assess changes in surfactant in various clinical situations. SP‐A concentrations were standardized per milligram of albumin in the aspirate. The ratio of SP‐A/albumin (µg/mg) in tracheal aspirates of 18 preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), in which samples were obtained within 12 hours of birth, was significantly lower (0.2 ± 0.1/µg/mg, mean ± S.D.) compared to a group of 20 non‐RDS preterm infants of similar gestational age (15.8±7.4µg/mg) (p<0.05). None of the RDS infants had a SP‐A/albumin ratio above l/µg/mg within 12 hours of birth, but the ratio exceeded 5µg/mg in all samples from non‐RDS infants. The SP‐A/albumin ratio significantly increased, however, at 48 to 72 hours after birth in infants with RDS (15.7 ± 9.5µg/mg). During the recovery phase of RDS, no difference was evident in the SP‐A/albumin ratio in babies treated with artificial surfactant compared to those not treated .