About This Project

Respiratory Distress is a treatable disease which kills hundreds of thousands of babies every year. Most of these babies are in poor countries where resources are scarce. I want to study the treatments that were given to babies in a hospital in Bangladesh, to hopefully find out what works in this environment, and what is the most cost-effective way to treat these babies.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Each year, fifteen million babies are born prematurely, about two-thirds of whom in middle and low income countries1. The leading cause of death in these babies is a disease called Respiratory Distress Syndrome, which is caused by immaturity in lung function2. Through technological advances like mechanical ventilators, CPAP machines, and Surfactant medication, the mortality rate from this disease has dropped dramatically in wealthy nations; however, in poor countries, about half of these babies will die. The major reasons for this discrepancy are poor resource availability and allocation in places where they are most needed4,5.

What is the significance of this project?

Previous research has focused on the introduction of new methods of treating Respiratory Distress into resource-poor settings, or the natural progression of this disease in such settings6,7,8. The following study seeks instead to identify practice patterns in the care of babies in the developing world, relating specific treatments to neonatal survival. By understanding which babies received which treatments and why, we hope to better understand the best ways to treat them in the future. This is especially important in places like Bangladesh, where there are severe limits on health resources, and hard choices must be made in terms of what treatments will be made available to those in need

What are the goals of the project?

Our project is designed to review the records of approximately 100 babies diagnosed with respiratory distress syndrome in a hospital in Bangladesh, and to determine which treatments they received. We will then compare survivorship between babies who received different combinations of treatments. We will also be looking at other conditions the babies might have developed, such as pneumonia or sepsis, and comparing between groups. Our goal is to determine which treatments are the most effective, and should therefore be supported by government funds, charitable giving, etc. Our findings will be shared by journal publication, conference presentation, and through direct meetings with local medical authorities.