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Abstract
A disturbance of prostacyclin (PGI2) and thromboxane A2 (TXA2) balance has been reported
in preeclampsia. However, little is known about the concentrations of these prostanoids
in neonates born to preeclamptic pregnant women. The purpose of this study is to determine
whether the PGI2 and TXA2 concentrations are altered and whether the prostanoid balance
correlates to the cerebral blood flow in neonates born to preeclampsia.
Spontaneously voided urine samples were collected from 20 neonates of normotensive
and 16 neonates of preeclamptic women during the first 24 h after birth. We measured
by radioimmunoassay the concentrations of urinary 6-keto-prostaglandin F1alpha (6-keto-PGF1alpha)
and 11-dehydro-thromboxane B2 (11-dehydro-TXB2), respectively. Blood flow velocity
in the middle cerebral artery was studied by pulsed Doppler ultrasonography in the
neonates between 17 and 38 h after birth.
There was no significant difference between the urinary 6-keto-PGF1alpha in the neonates
of mothers with and without preeclampsia (median, 5.3 vs. 3.6 ng/mg of creatinine).
In contrast, the urinary 11-dehydro-TXB2 and the ratio of 11-dehydro-TXB2 to 6-keto-PGF1alpha
in the neonates of mothers with preeclampsia were significantly lower as compared
with the neonates without preeclampsia, respectively (13.7 vs. 20.6 ng/mg of creatinine
and 3.0 vs. 5.2, median). The resistance index in the middle cerebral artery was significantly
reduced in the neonates with preeclampsia than without preeclampsia (0.67 +/- 0.01
vs. 0.74 +/- 0.02, mean +/- SEM).
There was an association between maternal preeclampsia and the imbalance in the neonatal
urinary excretion of PGI2 and TXA2 metabolites. This imbalance may contribute to the
regulation of cerebral blood flow.