Long term prognosis of infants with severe idiopathic respiratory distress syndrome. I. Neurological and mental outcome.

76 out of 77 children surviving IRDS with the aid of intermittent positive pressure ventilation have been followed-up by the age 2.6-7.6 years together with 68 matched controls. Moderate or severe neurological, developmental or mental abnormalities were present in 17% of all IRDS survivors. Statistical comparison of the matched pairs of IRDS survivors and controls revealed no significant differences in the prevalence of abnormalities. In the IRDS survivors the occurrence of cerebral palsy related to prematurity while the development of psycho-motor and mental retardation related to low birth weight and low milk intake during the first week suggesting that both prenatal and postnatal growth retardation may have been of importance. Statistical analysis of a number of preventilatory and ventilatory parameters did not show significant differences between these groups of IRDS survivors and the remainder. Ventilator treatment is recommended as a promising adjunct to the therapy of severe IRDS in centers where the necessary experience and equipment is at hand.