The effect of dopamine administration on the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in sick preterm infants.
Nine premature infants with birth weight of 1150 to 2500 g and gestational age of 28 to 35 weeks were given dopamine in a dose of 2-4 micrograms/kg/min to treat cardiopulmonary distress. In addition to monitoring of blood gases, blood pressure, acid-base balance, urine flow and urinary sodium excretion, plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PA) was also determined prior to and during dopamine therapy. The dopamine-induced increase in urine flow and urinary sodium excretion was associated with a significant increase of PRA from 18.2 +/- 5.1 ng/ml/h to 33.0 +/- 5.6 ng/ml/h (P less than 0.025), while PA and blood pressure remained unaltered by dopamine administration. It is suggested that the angiotensin II-stimulated aldosterone production is overridden by the inhibitory effect of dopamine.
D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004298:Dopamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009318:Natriuresis / Q000187:drug effects; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000187:drug effects*
D000450:Aldosterone; D012083:Renin; D004298:Dopamine