Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) Symptoms and Complications

Respiratory distress syndrome (RDS), also called infant respiratory distress syndrome or hyaline membrane disease, is a common lung disorder affecting premature babies. Ten out of 100 premature babies in the United States have respiratory distress syndrome.

Infants born with RDS do not make enough surfactant-a fluid that coats the inside of the lungs. Surfactant is important in keeping the air sacs of the lungs open so the infant can breathe after birth. Not having enough surfactant can cause the lungs to collapse when the child breathes out (exhales). As a result, the baby has to put extra effort in breathing. The baby may not be able to get enough oxygen to support his or her organ systems.

Symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome can occur immediately at birth or within the first few hours after birth. RDS symptoms include rapid and shallow breathing; grunting sounds; flaring of the nostrils; cyanosis (bluish color of the skin); and abnormal chest movement-pulling in of the chest below and between the ribs during each breath. Sometimes, the baby may stop breathing for a few seconds. This stopping of breathing is called apnea.

Complications of Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Depending on how severe RDS is, the baby may experience other health problems. Some of the complications of respiratory distress syndrome are discussed below.

Lung Complications of RDS

The most common lung complication of respiratory distress syndrome is atelectasis-collapsing of the lungs. In some cases breathed air may leak into the chest cavity causing pneumothorax and bleeding in the lung.

Blood and Blood Vessel Complications

In some cases, a baby with RDS may develop blood infection called sepsis. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that needs immediate medical treatment.

Because of lack of oxygen, a blood vessel that connects a lung artery to a heart artery, called the ductus arteriosus, may not close shortly after birth. If this vessel still remains open after birth, it can cause oxygen-rich blood to mix with oxygen-poor blood. This condition is called patent ductus arteriosus. It can cause too much strain to the heart and elevated blood pressure in the lung arteries.

Other Health Complications of RDS

Eye-related problems of RDS include blindness and retinopathy. Some may develop a bowel disease called necrotizing enterocolitis, which causes the intestinal wall lining to die and leads to falling off of the dead tissue.

Severe RDS may also cause the kidney to stop functioning, a condition called kidney failure. When this happens, wastes and extra fluid remains in the body.

Sometimes, the condition can cause bleeding in the brain-intraventricular hemorrhage. When this happens, it can result in mental development delay, mental retardation or cerebral palsy (CP).

Advances in medical technology have greatly improved the survival rate of infants with RDS. These infants, however, may need extra medical care even after going home from the hospital.

Sources:

Respiratory Distress Syndrome (September 2009). Retrieved February 7, 2010 from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/rds/rds_all.html.

Patent Ductus Arteriosus (June 2009). Retrieved February 7, 2010 from http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci/Diseases/pda/pda_what.html.