TY - JOUR
T1 - Possible adrenocortical insufficiency in postmature neonates
AU - Nwosu, Uchenna C.
AU - Wallach, Edward E.
AU - Boggs, Thomas R.
AU - Bongiovanni, Alfred M.
N1 - Funding Information:
Supported by the following grants: United States Public Health Research Grant HD-00371, United States Public Health Training Grant AM-05197, and Pennsylvania Hospital General Research Grant RR-05590-09.
PY - 1975/8/15
Y1 - 1975/8/15
N2 - Total plasma cortisol in cord and neonatal blood was measured by a radioassay method in neonates resulting from (1) term vaginal delivery following uncomplicated labor (control group), (2) term vaginal delivery following fetal distress during labor, (3) postterm, postmature vaginal delivery following fetal distress during labor, and (4) postterm, postmature emergency cesarean section performed because of signs of severe fetal distress during labor. Comparison of the mean peripheral plasma cortisol values showed that whereas the mean level (±S.E.) of the distressd term neonates (22.2 ± 5.3 μg per 100 ml.) use 180 per cent of that of the control group (12.3 ± 1.1 μg per 100 ml.; P < 0.01) the mean level for the vaginally delivered postmature group (7.5 ± 1.8 μg per 100 ml.) was only 61 per cent of that of the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the postmature group with sufficient intrapartum distress to warrant emergency cesarean section the mean level (4.6 ± 1.5 μg per 100 ml.) was found to be only 37 per cent of that of the control group. No differences were observed among the cord plasma cortisol values. These results are strongly suggestive of a relative adrenocortical insufficiency in postmature neonates. Such insufficiency could result from a defect in any portion of the adrenal-pituitary-hypothalamic axis. Effort is under way to further define such a defect.
AB - Total plasma cortisol in cord and neonatal blood was measured by a radioassay method in neonates resulting from (1) term vaginal delivery following uncomplicated labor (control group), (2) term vaginal delivery following fetal distress during labor, (3) postterm, postmature vaginal delivery following fetal distress during labor, and (4) postterm, postmature emergency cesarean section performed because of signs of severe fetal distress during labor. Comparison of the mean peripheral plasma cortisol values showed that whereas the mean level (±S.E.) of the distressd term neonates (22.2 ± 5.3 μg per 100 ml.) use 180 per cent of that of the control group (12.3 ± 1.1 μg per 100 ml.; P < 0.01) the mean level for the vaginally delivered postmature group (7.5 ± 1.8 μg per 100 ml.) was only 61 per cent of that of the control group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, in the postmature group with sufficient intrapartum distress to warrant emergency cesarean section the mean level (4.6 ± 1.5 μg per 100 ml.) was found to be only 37 per cent of that of the control group. No differences were observed among the cord plasma cortisol values. These results are strongly suggestive of a relative adrenocortical insufficiency in postmature neonates. Such insufficiency could result from a defect in any portion of the adrenal-pituitary-hypothalamic axis. Effort is under way to further define such a defect.
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U2 - 10.1016/0002-9378(75)90358-0
DO - 10.1016/0002-9378(75)90358-0
M3 - Article
C2 - 1155534
AN - SCOPUS:0016764539
SN - 0002-9378
VL - 122
SP - 969
EP - 974
JO - American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
JF - American journal of obstetrics and gynecology
IS - 8
ER -