The following is a summary of “Association between sex and neonatal respiratory distress syndrome,” published in the February 2024 issue of Pediatrics by Fang et al.
Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) poses a significant health concern in newborns, prompting investigations into potential associations with sex.
This retrospective study analyzed neonates admitted to the hospital’s neonatal department within 1 hour of birth. The cohort was stratified into NRDS and non-NRDS groups based on their condition during hospitalization. Among the 452 neonates studied, comprising 265 males and 187 females, various parameters including gestational age (GA), birth weight, white blood cell count (WBC), platelet count (PLT), C-reactive protein (CRP), total immunoglobulin M (total IgM), and maternal factors like gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM), antenatal steroids use, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, and preterm premature rupture of membranes (PPROM) were assessed.
Multivariate analysis revealed a significant association between sex and NRDS risk. Males exhibited a 1.87 times higher risk of NRDS compared to females (P < 0.05), even after adjusting for potential confounding factors, including GA, birth weight, WBC, PLT, CRP, total IgM, GDM, antenatal steroids use, meconium-stained amniotic fluid, and PPROM.
This study highlights a notable association between sex and NRDS risk, with male neonates exhibiting a considerably higher susceptibility to NRDS compared to their female counterparts.
Source: bmcpediatr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12887-024-04596-3