Objective To observe effect of a new lung ultrasound scoring method in evaluation of disease condition of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and its application in treatment of pulmonary surfactant (PS).

Methods The clinical data of 91 children with NRDS were retrospectively analyzed, all children with NRDS were treated with PS. A total of 70 children who underwent physical examinations during the same period were selected as healthy control group. According to the clinical manifestations and X-ray examination results within 6 hours after birth, 91 children in the NRDS group were further divided into mild group (39 cases) and severe group (52 cases). The pulmonary ultrasound manifestations were compared between NRDS group and healthy control group, children with gestational age < 30 weeks and ≥ 30 weeks, and mild group and severe group. The LUS scores at different time points were compared between the mild and severe groups treated by PS.

Results The detection rates of lung consolidation, air bronchogram, B-line fusion, alveolar interstitial syndrome, pleural line abnormality and pleural effusion in the NRDS group were higher than those in healthy control group (P < 0.05). The detection rate of alveolar interstitial syndrome in children with gestational age < 30 weeks was lower than that in children with gestational age ≥ 30 weeks (P < 0.05). The detection rates of air bronchogram, B-line fusion, pleural line abnormality and pleural effusion in the severe group were higher than those in the mild group (P < 0.05). Before treatment, LUS score of the mild group was lower than that of the severe group (P < 0.05). At 12 and 24 h after treatment, the LUS scores of the two groups were decreased compared with those before treatment, and the LUS scores of the mild group were lower than those of the severe group (P < 0.05).

Conclusion LUS has an ideal value in the evaluation of NRDS, and can be used as an effective evaluation method for PS treatment of NRD.