Respiratory distress in a special care baby unit in Nigeria.

Although respiratory distress is common among African newborn infants in special care, respiratory distress syndrome, which is the commonest cause of respiratory distress in other races, has been reported as uncommon among African infants. A prospective study of 312 consecutive newborn Nigerian infants admitted to a special care unit revealed 103 (33%) with respiratory distress. In 100 cases studied there was transient tachypnoea of the newborn ( TTN ) in 40% while specific diseases such as pneumonia and septicaemia, severe aspiration syndromes and respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) accounted for 25%, 19% and 12%, respectively. TTN and RDS occurred mostly among preterm infants with moderate perinatal asphyxia while severe aspiration syndrome was found among term infants with severe birth asphyxia. The study suggests that prevention and/or improved management of perinatal asphyxia and infections should reduce the incidence and mortality associated with neonatal respiratory distress.