Abstract:Objective To evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of minimally invasive pulmonary surfactant administration combined with caffeine citrate injection in neonates with neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS) and to analyze its effects on respiratory function, inflammation, and prognosis.Methods A total of 114 neonates with NRDS admitted to Handan No. 1 Hospital from March 2024 to March 2026 were prospectively enrolled. Using a random number table, they were divided into groups A, B, and C, with 38 neonates in each group. All neonates received conventional symptomatic treatment for NRDS. Group A received minimally invasive pulmonary surfactant administration alone, group B received caffeine citrate injection alone, and group C received the combination of both treatments. Clinical efficacy and clinical indicators, blood gas indices and inflammatory factor levels before and after treatment, and the incidences of bronchopulmonary dysplasia, periventricular-intraventricular hemorrhage, retinopathy of prematurity, neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis, and ventilator-associated pneumonia were compared among the three groups.Results Significant differences were observed in overall response rates among the three groups (P < 0.05). The number of apnea episodes and length of hospital stay were lower in group C than in groups A and B and were lower in group A than in group B (P < 0.05). The duration of mechanical ventilation was shorter in group C than in groups A and B (P < 0.05), whereas the duration of oxygen therapy was longer in group B than in groups A and C (P < 0.05). The rate of weaning failure did not differ significantly among the three groups (P > 0.05). After treatment, pH and arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2) were higher and arterial partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PaCO2) was lower in group C than in groups A and B (P < 0.05). In all three groups, pH and PaO2 increased and PaCO2 decreased after treatment (P < 0.05). C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels were lower in group C than in groups A and B and were lower in group A than in group B (P < 0.05). These indices decreased after treatment in all three groups (P < 0.05). The total incidence of complications did not differ significantly among the three groups (P > 0.05).Conclusion Minimally invasive pulmonary surfactant administration combined with caffeine citrate improves the clinical efficacy of treatment for NRDS, reduces apnea episodes, shortens the durations of ventilation, oxygen therapy, and hospitalization, and improves blood gas and inflammatory indices. It is superior to either treatment alone in improving respiratory function and inflammatory indices.