[Correction of the acid-base balance in the newborn asphyxia. The use of sodium bicarbonate].

The treatment of neonatal respiratory distress associates the improvement of lung ventilation with the correction of acid-base equilibrium (metabolic acidosis). In such a context we have considered 10 newborns with respiratory distress and we monitored pH, PCO2, B.E. and standard bicarbonate in capillary blood at 1, 5, 10, 25 hours after birth. The sodium bicarbonate doses given as a result of the emogasanalisis are above those usually recommended. We then give suggestions on how to use the sodium bicarbonate required to correct the acidosis without the aid of an emogasanaliser in order to avoid the iatrogenic alcalosis danger.