The immature lung: radiographic appearance, course, and complications
- 1 October 1980
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Roentgen Ray Society in American Journal of Roentgenology
- Vol. 135 (4), 659-666
- https://doi.org/10.2214/ajr.135.4.659
Abstract
Thirty-six premature newborn infants of a very low birthweight (1,500 g or less) are described who did not have respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) by clinical criteria or by biochemical analysis of pulmonary effluent phospholipid (surfactant). Such patients seem to be protected against the development of RDS by intrauterine stress, which results in accelerated maturation of the surfactant system. Chest radiographs in these patients show a pattern of fine, diffuse granularity together with mild congestion suggesting excessive lung fluid, without significant air bronchograms, underaeration, or cardiomegaly. The most frequent complications are apnea with bradycardia and/or a significant left-to-right shunt through a patent ductus arteriosus. The serious complications of intraventricular hemorrhage, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, and death are more common in the smaller (1,000 g or less) infants; necrotizing enterocolitis, observed in 25% of patients, was not related to birthweight. The radiographic and clinical presentation of "immature lung" should be distinguished from that of RDS, because the prognosis in this birthweight range is considerably better (83% survival).This publication has 9 references indexed in Scilit:
- The Relationship between Maternal Hypertensive Disease of Pregnancy and the Incidence of Idiopathic Respiratory Distress SyndromePediatrics, 1980
- Acceleration of pulmonary surfactant maturation in stressed pregnancies: A study of neonatal lung effluentAmerican Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1979
- Obstetric factors influencing outcome in infants weighing from 1,001 to 1,500 gramsAmerican Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, 1979
- LUNG PROFILE .1. NORMAL-PREGNANCY1979
- LUNG PROFILE .2. COMPLICATED PREGNANCY1979
- Patent Ductus Arteriosus in Preterm Infants with Idiopathic Respiratory Distress SyndromeRadiology, 1977
- Absence of Phosphatidylglycerol (PG) in Respiratory Distress Syndrome in the NewbornPediatric Research, 1977
- A practical classification of newborn infants by weight and gestational ageThe Journal of Pediatrics, 1967
- Pulmonary Disease Following Respirator Therapy of Hyaline-Membrane DiseaseNew England Journal of Medicine, 1967