SURFACTANT PROTEIN-A CONCENTRATIONS IN TRACHEAL ASPIRATE FLUID FROM INFANTS REQUIRING EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE-OXYGENATION

To understand the lung abnormalities leading to respiratory failure in infants, we measured 35,000-daiton surfactant protein A concentrations in tracheal aspirate fluid collected dally from 25 infants receiving extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO). Surfactant protein A concentrations were standardized per milligrams of total protein present in the aspirate. Among the 23 survivors with complete data, the surfactant protein A concentration increased significantly with time (p<0.0001). Concurrent increases in lung complicance (p<0.0001) and radiographic scores (p<0.0001) were also observed. This increase in surfactant protein A content may reflect lung recovery from barotrauma and oxygen toxic effects or be a response to the primary pulmonary disease process. The two infants who did not survive extracorporeal membrane oxygenation failed to demonstrate these trends. © 1990 The C.V. Mosby Company.