Abstract
The purpose of this study was to evaluate cytologic changes in neonates with respiratory distress who develop bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD). 141 tracheal aspirates were obtained from 37 intubated neonates. 25 neonates had HMD. The GA ranged from 25-43 wks and B.W. from 680-4522 gms. All intubated infants developed reactive cellular changes including sheets of orderly columnar cells with round nuclei exhibiting a fine chromatin pattern with discreet nucleoli, predominance of columnar cells in various stages of degeneration and few mature squamous cells. Early changes of BPD (4 of 37 infants) was characterized by small sheets of normal immature metaplastic cells. As BPD progressed, nuclear atypia became evident. With severe BPD, there was a predominance of mature squamous epithelium,, only occasional columnar cells and isolated atypical metaplastic cells.
Cytologic screening of infants with respiratory distress may be useful not only to diagnose pneumonia, but also for diagnostic and prognostic purposes in terms of the development of BPD. Cytology may also be useful to evaluate new preventive treatment regimens of BPD.
Article PDF
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Wall, R., Giant, M., Schreiner, R. et al. 1734 CYTOLOGY OF ENDOTRACHEAL ASPIRATES IN NEONATES WITH RESPIRATORY DISTRESS. Pediatr Res 15 (Suppl 4), 732 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01753
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-198104001-01753