title: Plasma cyclic 3',5'-adenosine monophosphate in patients with elevated pulmonary pressure due to left-to-right shunt.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Increased pulmonary blood flow in patients with left-to-right shunt has been shown to be associated with alterations in prostacyclin-synthesis. There are limited data with respect to the plasma cAMP in patients with elevated pulmonary artery pressure due to left-to-right shunt. We hypothesized that plasma cAMP might be influenced by pulmonary blood flow or pressure in patients with left-to-right shunt.
  
  
  METHODS
  Plasma cAMP from venous blood was measured in 122 healthy controls aged 8.3 (0.2 - 14.9) years (median [range]) and in 130 patients with left-to-right shunt aged 1.4 (0.1 - 19.1) years by radioimmunoassay.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Plasma cAMP in controls and in patients was similar and decreased with age. Healthy infants (n = 42) showed higher plasma cAMP (46 [27-112] nmol/l) than children > 6 years of age (n = 40, 39 [19-73] nmol/l; P < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These values should be taken into consideration when reporting plasma values for cAMP in patients with congenital heart disease. The values for healthy children obtained in this study should allow a better interpretation of plasma cAMP levels in various disease conditions such as chronic renal failure, liver chirrhosis, hyperthyreosis, or children with intellectual disability.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiac Surgery, University Medical Centre, Heidelberg, Germany. Tsvetomir.Loukanov@med.uni-heidelberg.de
authors.forename: Tsvetomir
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Loukanov
authors.forename: Hiroaki
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Pencho
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Tonchev
authors.forename: Jasmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Gross
authors.forename: Markus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bettendorf
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gorenflo
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D000242:Cyclic AMP / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000097:blood* / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation
chemical_list: D000242:Cyclic AMP