Study of neurotransmitters in premature infants with or without apnea of prematurity.
Twelve-hour urinary excretion of 4-hydroxy-3-methoxymandelic acid (VMA), homovanillic acid (HVA), and 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol (MHPG) was studied in 20 premature infants, 8 without apnea and 12 with apnea. All infants were studied at 1-3 days of postnatal age (before apnea). Nonapneic infants were restudied at 10-15 days of postnatal age. Apneic infants were also restudied 24 h after apnea. Apnea was not associated with decreased urinary excretion of VMA and MHPG. Only HVA, when expressed as microgram/kg body weight, was significantly lower after the onset of apnea. This difference disappeared when HVA was expressed as microgram/mg creatinine. We suggest that apnea of prematurity may not be related to the immaturity of catecholamine pathways.
D001049:Apnea / Q000378:metabolism*; D001679:Biogenic Amines / Q000652:urine; D006719:Homovanillic Acid / Q000652:urine; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007234:Infant, Premature; D007235:Infant, Premature, Diseases / Q000378:metabolism*; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol / Q000652:urine; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000378:metabolism*; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid / Q000652:urine
D001679:Biogenic Amines; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents; D008734:Methoxyhydroxyphenylglycol; D014642:Vanilmandelic Acid; D006719:Homovanillic Acid