OF ANTENATAL CORTICOSTEROIDS AND SURFACTANT REPLACEMENT ON NEONATAL RESPIRATORY DISTRESS SYNDROME
Th e goal of this study was to determine the eff ects of antenatal corticosteroids and surfactant re- placement on the severity and frequency of Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) in a cohort of premature infants born in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina, from to . Th e cohort con- sisted of premature neonates with estimated gestational age between and weeks. Babies with IUGR, babies of diabetic mothers and babies with major congenital defects were excluded. Out of neonates, were treated antenatally with corticosteroids (single course of dexam- ethasone) and / were not. Th ere was no statistical diff erence (p>,) in average gestational age (, vs. , GW) and male/female ratio between investigated groups; there were signifi cant- ly more male patients (p , and mechanical ventilation. Early surfactant administration within six hours after birth appeared to be eff ective at reducing mortal- ity then later surfactant administration (p<,). In the group of babies requiring FiO≥, at the time of surfactant replacement, the mortality rate was signifi cantly higher (p<,). In conclusion, we confi rm the effi cacy of antenatal corticosteroid treatment and early surfactant treatment in a cohort of premature infants born in Sarajevo.