• S V Onrust, M Dooley, and K L Goa.
• Adis International Limited, Auckland, New Zealand. demail@adis.co.nz
• Paediatr Drugs. 1999 Jul 1;1(3):219-43.

UnlabelledCalfactant (Infasurt) is a natural bovine surfactant which has been evaluated for intratracheal use in the prevention and rescue treatment of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) in preterm infants. In 2 randomised, double-blind, multicentre clinical trials of prophylactic use, calfactant 100 or 105 mg phospholipid per kg bodyweight (mg/kg) reduced RDS incidence, RDS severity and mortality rates to a greater extent than colfosceril palmitate (Exosurf Neonatal) 67.5 mg/kg and was generally similar to beractant (Survanta) 100 mg/kg. Although the rate of mortality before discharge from hospital was significantly higher in infants with birthweights <600 g who received calfactant than in those who received beractant, this may not be a typical result. As rescue treatment, calfactant 100 or 105 mg/kg reduced RDS severity, but not mortality rates, significantly more than colfosceril palmitate 67.5 mg/kg or beractant 100 mg/kg in 2 randomised, double-blind, multicentre clinical trials. In addition, the duration of effect of calfactant as prophylaxis or rescue treatment appeared to be longer than that of beractant. In other randomised trials, prophylaxis was more effective than rescue treatment with calfactant, particularly in infants of < or =29 weeks gestational age. The incidence of pulmonary air leak events was lower with calfactant than with colfosceril palmitate (12 vs 22%) but was identical with calfactant and beractant (15% with either agent). The incidence of other complications associated with RDS was usually similar with all 3 agents in clinical trials in preterm infants. The incidence of intraventricular haemorrhage was significantly higher in 1 clinical trial, and that of septicaemia was significantly lower in another, with calfactant versus colfosceril palmitate, but the combined incidences of these complications was similar with the 2 agents when results from different trials were pooled. The incidence of acute adverse events (i.e. those which occurred during administration of the drug) with calfactant was similar to that with beractant and higher than that with colfosceril palmitate; the difference may been related to reduced RDS severity in calfactant versus colfosceril palmitate recipients. Acute adverse events were usually transient and not severe.ConclusionsCalfactant is a well tolerated natural bovine surfactant which is effective in the prevention and treatment of RDS in preterm infants. Further investigation is needed to more clearly determine the efficacy and tolerability of calfactant relative to that of other surfactant preparations. When more data are available, it is likely that calfactant will be useful as an alternative to beractant (at least in infants of birthweights >600 g), and calfactant may be preferred over colfosceril palmitate in both the prophylaxis and treatment of RDS.

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