Plasma endothelin-1 levels during asphyxia in the fetal goat.
The changes in fetal carotid arterial plasma levels of endothelin-1, catecholamines, PO2, PCO2 and pH were measured after intermittent repetitive umbilical cord occlusion in late gestation pregnant goats (n = 9). Endothelin-1 levels increased to 3.58 +/- 0.28 pg/ml immediately after the onset of fetal hypoxia, a level significantly higher than the respective values in the control period (p < 0.05). The elevation of fetal plasma endothelin-1 levels correlated inversely with carotid arterial PO2 (r = -0.41, p < 0.05) and pH (r = - 0.43, p < 0.05). The results suggest that increased endothelin-1 levels may contribute to the maintenance of the fetal circulation during fetal asphyxia.
Takada
H
H
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Nippon Medical School, Tokyo, Japan.
Yoneyama
Y
Y
Power
G G
GG
Araki
T
T
D000818:Animals; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood; D019332:Endothelin-1 / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000097:blood*; D006041:Goats; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011247:Pregnancy
D002395:Catecholamines; D019332:Endothelin-1; D010100:Oxygen