Rapid test for lung maturity, based on spectroscopy of gastric aspirate, predicted respiratory distress syndrome with high sensitivity

Henrik Verder, Christian Heiring, Howard Clark, David Sweet, Torben E Jessen, Finn Ebbesen, Lars J Björklund, Bengt Andreasson, Lars Bender, Aksel Bertelsen, Marianne Dahl, Christian Eschen, Jesper Fenger-Grøn, Stine F Hoffmann, Agnar Höskuldsson, Maria Bruusgaard-Mouritsen, Fredrik Lundberg, Anthony D Postle, Peter Schousboe, Peter SchmidtHristo Stanchev, Lars Sørensen

7 Citations (Scopus)
57 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

AIM: Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity in premature infants. By the time symptoms appear, it may already be too late to prevent a severe course, with bronchopulmonary dysplasia or mortality. We aimed to develop a rapid test of lung maturity for targeting surfactant supplementation.

METHODS: Concentrations of the most surface-active lung phospholipid dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine and sphingomyelin in gastric aspirates from premature infants were measured by mass spectrometry and expressed as the lecithin/sphingomyelin ratio (L/S). The same aspirates were analysed with mid-infrared spectroscopy. Subsequently, L/S was measured in gastric aspirates and oropharyngeal secretions from another group of premature infants using spectroscopy and the results were compared with RDS development. The 10-minute analysis required 10 μL of aspirate.

RESULTS: An L/S algorithm was developed based on 89 aspirates. Subsequently, gastric aspirates were sampled in 136 infants of 24-31 weeks of gestation and 61 (45%) developed RDS. The cut-off value of L/S was 2.2, sensitivity was 92%, and specificity was 73%. In 59 cases, the oropharyngeal secretions had less valid L/S than gastric aspirate results.

CONCLUSION: Our rapid test for lung maturity, based on spectroscopy of gastric aspirate, predicted RDS with high sensitivity.

Original languageEnglish
JournalActa Paediatrica
Volume106
Issue number3
Pages (from-to)430-437
Number of pages8
ISSN0803-5253
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Mar 2017

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