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Anet Papazovska Cherepnalkovski

University Department for Health Studies, Pediatrician-neonatologist at the Clinic for Gynecology and Obstetrics, University Hospital Split, Croatia

Title: Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome-protective management strategies

Abstract

Neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) a prevalent condition in premature infants caused by the combined effect of deficient alveolar surfactant and structural immaturity of the lungs. Surfactant deficiency causes decreased pulmonary compliance, alveolar hypotension, and an imbalance between lung ventilation and perfusion. New diagnostic tools such as transforming growth factor ?1 and interleukin-6 measurements have been explored in recent literature. Also, reports exist of high diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of lung ultrasound compared to chest X-ray for the diagnosis of NRDS. Current literature data outline significant associations between the management of NRDS and long-term health problems such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia and intracranial hemorrhages. Recent European consensus guidelines for NRDS management have significantly aided in the focused approach to this condition highlighting pre-, peri- and postnatal protective strategies such as: prenatal corticosteroid therapy, delayed umbilical cord clamping, CPAP in the delivery room, less invasive surfactant administration and lung protective techniques of ventilation. During the talk, a brief review of diagnostics of NRDS will be followed by a comprehensive overview of the lung- and brain-protective strategies in the management of NRDS. Our department policies and nursing care practices will be covered as well. In conclusion, NRDS is a condition of high clinical importance and serious potential long-term health consequences. Hence, there is a constant need to search for new methods of diagnosis and treatment. The available knowledge confirms the efficacy of surfactant as the key drug for the medical management of NRDS. The combination of non-invasive respiratory support and surfactant appears to be an ideal method of treatment. Pre- and perinatal care practices significantly affect the management of NRDS as well as supportive care measures in intensive care units.

Biography

Anet Papazovska Cherepnalkovski has completed her PhD at the University of Skopje, Republic of North Macedonia in 2016. She has worked as Head of Department for preterm birth from 2013-2015 and Head of Clinical Department of neonatology at the Pediatric Clinic in Skopje, before transferring to work as an intensive care neonatologist at University Hospital of Split, Croatia. She has been involved in education of medical students and pediatric residents since 2008 both in N. Macedonia and Croatia and promoted into assistant professor in 2020. She has been assigned head of three and associate on one undergraduate courses at the Department for midwifery. She has over 90 publications, and her publication h-index is 2. She has been lecturing two continuous medical education courses in Croatia and one CME course in N. Macedonia. She has collaborated on 3 scientific research projects and has been serving as an editorial board member of several reputed journals.