Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in infants

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Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in infants

Definition:

Respiratory distress syndrome is one of the most common lung disorders in premature infants and causes increasing difficulty in breathing. See also ARDS (acute respiratory distress syndrome).

Alternative Names:

Hyaline membrane disease; Infant respiratory distress syndrome (IRDS); Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome; RDS - infants

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Respiratory distress syndrome affects 10% of all premature infants and only rarely affects those born at full-term. The disease is caused by a lack of lung surfactant, a chemical that normally appears in mature lungs. Surfactant keeps the air sacs from collapsing and allows them to inflate with air more easily.

In respiratory distress syndrome, the air sacs collapse and prevent the child from breathing properly. Symptoms usually appear shortly after birth and become progressively more severe.

Risk factors are prematurity, diabetes in the mother, and stress during delivery that produces acidosis in the newborn at birth.

Review Date: 7/15/2004
Reviewed By: John Goldenring, M.D., MPH, Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital, San Diego, CA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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