On October 18th the Salk Institute for biological studies might explain why some premature infants fail to respond to existing treatments for a deadly respiratory syndrome, and was to treat it. Observing newborn mice scientist traced the problem to a cellular receptor for thyroid hormone, and found that two drugs used for treating overactive thyroid glands saved mice with a deadly genetic alteration. RDS affects about one percent of the infants born in the U.S and is the leading cause of death in premature babies, to encourage lungs to develop faster and produce the surfactant, doctors treat many expecting mothers and premature infants with glucocorticoids, which are steroid drugs that speed maturation of surfactant-producing cells. After conducting experiments on the different strains of mice (type 1 and 2), the findings identify cell sensors that help type 1, and they are very hopeful that it will eventually lead to new treatments for infants with RDS, however the thyroid drugs used in the study are only approved for adults and that their use in infants would have to be explores with caution.
Many poor countries around the world have high infant mortality rates, and this new treatment, could have a significantly positive affect on those numbers. The countries that do not have the technology to find out why the children are dying, would be able to just give the medication to the mothers, and then the children when they identify the problem from the who, underdeveloped countries will be able to start reproducing, and rebuilding their economy with the upcoming new workers that are being born. More children gives a greater opportunity for something great to be in the making, with new children comes new minds, and they could at some point in time better the world, but to do that they would have to stay alive, no baby deserves to die, and no parent deserves to loose a child to death.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/10/111018092350.htm
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