呼吸窘迫症是新生兒加護病房中常見的呼吸性疾病。界面活性劑缺乏是此症的 主要原因，此現象乃因肺泡上皮細胞對於界面活性劑的合成及分泌不成熟及缺乏分 化作用所致。1 有一些非本院出生之新生兒，雖然人數不多，然而可能母親懷孕週 數或胎兒界面活性劑是否缺乏等未明。因此對於這一族群，最簡單來預測是否有呼 吸窘迫症的是以臨床特徵及大致能反應新生兒成熟度的出生體重，這也就是本研究 之目的。
此研究從 2002 年九月一日起至 2003 年六月三十日止，包含 298 名新生兒，其 出生體重範圍為 492～4290 克，且此研究之新生兒平均體重為 2173.37 ± 828.2 克。 結果為：298 名新生兒中有 43 人使用過 beractant（14.4%），在相同使用的基準下， beractant 使用於新生兒的比率隨著體重的增加而減少[＜1001 克：18/28 新生兒
（64.3%），1001～2000 克：20/110 新生兒（18.2%），＞2000 克：5/160 新生兒（3.1%）]， p＜0.0001。除了其它因素須進一步加以研究外，華人新生兒出生體重與 beractant 的使用是相關的，所以預防性措施像插管及使用呼吸器，對於某些非本院出生且體 重 1000 克（含）以下之新生兒是有必要的，如此可以減少呼吸窘迫症，及之後衍 生的開放性動脈導管 2，肺支氣管發育異常 3，肺出血 4 等，以期降低罹病率或死亡 率。
Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) is a common respiratory disorder seen in neonatal ICU. Surfactant deficiency is the major cause of RDS, which in turn is caused by immaturity and a lack of differentiation of the alveolar epithelial cells involved in surfactant synthesis and secretion.1 For some neonates not born in this hospital, although not many, either gestational weeks or perinatal examinations for possible surfactant deficiency were unknown. So the easier ways to predict possible RDS for this group of neonates were clinical impressions and birth weight which may partially reflect this neonates’maturity, that is why this study is undertaken.
In total 298 neonates have been included in this study starting from Sept. 1, 2002 to Jun. 30, 2003, birth weight ranging from 492-4290 g and the average birth weight is 2173.37±828.2 g. The results are 43 (14.4%) out of 298 neonates received beractant, and under the same criteria of using beractant, the percentage of neonates using beractant increases with the decreased birth weight [<1001 g: 18/28 neonates (64.3%), 1001-2000 g: 20/110 neonates (18.2%), >2000 g: 5/160 neonates (3.1%)], p<0.0001. Except for other factors need to be further studied, birth weight is correlated with beractant use in Chinese neonates. So preventive measurements, such as intubation and ventilator support, may be proceeded in certain neonates, not born in this hospital, weighing at or under 1000 g, to cope with RDS, and subsequent patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)2, bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)3, pulmonary hemorrhage4, etc., to reduce morbidity or mortality.
