Abstract:Objective To explore the effects of less invasive surfactant administration (LISA) combined with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) on blood gas parameters and levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and procalcitonin (PCT) in neonates with respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS).Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on the clinical data of 95 NRDS infants admitted to The First Affiliated Hospital of Wannan Medical University from January 2022 to December 2025. Based on the method of pulmonary surfactant (PS) administration, the patients were divided into the LISA group (n = 55 cases, treated with LISA + nCPAP) and the intubation-surfactant-extubation (INSURE) group (n = 40). Arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) and carbon dioxide (PaCO2) were measured before treatment (T0) and at 1 h (T1), 6 h (T2), and 24 h (T3) after administration. Serum levels of hs-CRP and PCT were assessed at T0, T3, and 72 h after administration (T4). Clinical outcomes and the incidence of complications were also compared between the two groups.Results PaO2 and PaCO2 levels at T0, T1, T2, and T3 were analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results showed that significant differences were observed across time points (F = 165.324 and 212.542, respectively; both P = 0.000) and between the two groups (F = 12.455 and 18.676, respectively; both P = 0.000), with higher PaO2 and lower PaCO2 in the LISA group than in the INSURE group. Significant differences were observed in the change trends of PaO2 and PaCO2 levels between the two groups (F = 6.783 and 9.451, respectively; both P = 0.000). Hs-CRP and PCT levels at T0, T3, and T4 were also analyzed using repeated-measures ANOVA. The results showed that significant differences were observed across time points (F = 105.324 and 223.185, respectively; both P = 0.000) and between the two groups (F = 7.524 and 11.243, respectively; P = 0.007 and 0.001), with lower hs-CRP and PCT levels in the LISA group. Significant differences were observed in the change trends of hs-CRP and PCT levels between the two groups (F = 4.896 and 8.452, respectively; P = 0.008 and 0.000). The duration of oxygen therapy and length of hospital stay were shorter in the LISA group than in the INSURE group (P < 0.05). In addition, the rates of recurrent need for mechanical ventilation and total complications were lower in the LISA group (P < 0.05).Conclusion LISA effectively improves blood gas parameters in pediatric patients and reduces hs-CRP and PCT levels, thereby lowering the incidence of recurrent need for mechanical ventilation and complications, as well as optimizing clinical outcomes.