title: Effects of oral L-arginine on the foetal condition and neonatal outcome in preeclampsia: a preliminary report.
abstract: Estimation of the influence of oral supplementation with low dose of L-arginine on biophysical profile, foeto-placental circulation and neonatal outcome in preeclampsia. Randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind, clinical trial. Oral therapy with 3 g of L-arginine daily or placebo as a supplement to standard therapy. Eighty-three preeclamptic women, randomly assigned to the L-arginine (n=42) or placebo (n=41) groups; [n=30 (L-arginine) and n=31 (placebo) ended the study, respectively]. Foetal gain chances due to ultrasound biometry, biophysical profile, Doppler velocimetry of pulsatility indices of umbilical and middle cerebral arteries, cerebro-placental ratio, as well as differences in duration of pregnancy and clinical data of newborn. L-arginine treatment transitory accelerated foetal gain and improved biophysical profile. Starting from 3rd week of therapy, the umbilical artery pulsatility indices values were significantly lower in L-arginine than in placebo group. Moreover, treatment with L-arginine caused significant increase of middle cerebral artery pulsatility indices and cerebro-placental ratio values. Latency was longer in L-arginine group. Neonates delivered in the L-arginine group revealed higher Apgar score. Supplementary treatment with oral L-arginine seems to be promising in improving foetal well-being and neonatal outcome as well as in prolonging pregnancy complicated with preeclampsia. However, these benefits require confirmation in more-powered, larger studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Gynaecology, Obstetrics and Oncology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland. morytlew@cyf-kr.edu.pl
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Rytlewski
authors.forename: Rafal
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Olszanecki
authors.forename: Ryszard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lauterbach
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Grzyb
authors.forename: Antoni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Basta
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D000328:Adult; D001120:Arginine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D002585:Cesarean Section / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D047109:Fetal Development / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D005323:Fetal Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D020567:Fetal Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009321:Natural Childbirth / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011673:Pulsatile Flow / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal / Q000379:methods; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001120:Arginine