Surfactant improves lung function and mitigates bacterial growth in immature ventilated rabbits with experimentally induced neonatal group B streptococcal pneumonia
a Department of Paediatrics,
University of Göttingen, Germany, b Division For Experimental Perinatal Pathology,
Department of Woman and Child Health, Karolinska Institute,
Stockholm, Sweden, c Department of Clinical Bacteriology,
Karolinska Institute, Huddinge Hospital, Stockholm,
Sweden, d Department of Clinical Chemistry,
Karolinska Institute, Danderyd Hospital, Stockholm,
Sweden
Correspondence to: Dr Egbert Herting, Department of Paediatrics, University of Göttingen, Robert-Koch Str. 40, D-37075 Göttingen, Germany.
Accepted 19 September 1996
Aims
To study the influence of
surfactant on lung function and bacterial proliferation in immature
newborn rabbits with experimental group B streptococcal (GBS) pneumonia.
METHODSPreterm rabbit fetuses
(gest-ational age 28 days) underwent tracheotomy and were mechanically
ventilated in a warmed body plethysmograph that permitted measurement
of lung-thorax compliance. Fifteen minutes after the onset of
ventilation the animals received either GBS or saline intratracheally;
at 30 minutes, a bolus of saline or 200 mg/kg of a porcine surfactant
(Curosurf) was administered via the airway. Bacterial proliferation was
evaluated in lung homogenate at the end of the experiments and the
results expressed as mean log10 cfu/g lung (SD). Animals
receiving only saline (n=20) or saline and surfactant (n=20) served as controls.
RESULTSThe average survival time was about three
hours in all groups. Infected animals receiving surfactant (n = 22) had
significantly less bacterial growth (9.09 (0.45) vs 9.76 (0.91)) and improved lung function (compliance: 0.61 (0.14)
vs 0.34 (0.19) ml/kg . cm H2O) than infected
rabbits receiving saline at 30 minutes (n = 22).
CONCLUSIONSurfactant improves lung
function and mitigates bacterial growth in preterm rabbits infected
with group B streptococci.
© 1997 by Archives of Disease in Childhood
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