Prevention and Management of Respiratory Distress Syndrome: Current Practice in Bangladesh

Abstract

Objective: To gather information regarding current practice for prevention and management of Respiratory Distress Syndrome among obstetricians and neonatologists. Methods: It was a survey type of cross sectional study where the participants were from different teaching/referral hospital across the country. Results: Out of 150 physicians, 46% physicians found preterm deliveries in 10-30% cases. Most of them (71.3%) preferred antenatal corticosteroid (ACS). Four doses of Dexamethasone 12 hourly were the preferred in 61.33%. The use of repeat dose of  corticosteroid was found to be less common (56.7%). RDS was less common among the neonatologists (58%) and diagnosis was mainly done on clinical basis. Still, in comparison to other developed countries, surfactant was used occasionally by the neonatologists (34.7%). Conclusion: Respiratory Distress Syndrome is one of the most important causes of neonatal mortality of preterm LBW in the community. Therefore a common protocol bazed approach for prevention and management of RDS may prove critical which is currently not in practice uniformly.