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Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS) is a life-threatening condition primarily affecting premature infants due to insufficient pulmonary surfactant production. This deficiency leads to alveolar collapse, impaired gas exchange, and severe breathing difficulties that require immediate medical intervention.
Surfactant, produced by type II pneumocytes, reduces surface tension in alveoli and prevents collapse during expiration. In premature infants, immature lungs produce inadequate surfactant levels, causing widespread atelectasis, ventilation-perfusion mismatch, and progressive respiratory failure with characteristic hyaline membrane formation.
Diagnosis relies on clinical presentation of respiratory distress in premature infants, chest X-ray showing ground-glass appearance with air bronchograms, and arterial blood gas analysis revealing hypoxemia and acidosis. Treatment involves surfactant replacement therapy, mechanical ventilation support, and addressing underlying prematurity-related complications to improve lung compliance and oxygenation.