title: Sildenafil citrate improves perinatal outcome in fetuses from pre-eclamptic rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate perinatal outcome after sildenafil citrate (SC) administration at the onset of pregnancy in a rat pre-eclampsia model.
  
  
  METHODS
  In vivo animal experimental study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fundación IVI-Instituto Universitario IVI, Valencia, Spain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Control and pre-eclampsia-induced pregnant Wistar rats exposed to chronic SC administration.
  
  
  METHODS
  We evaluated the use of SC, which was tested as a potential therapeutic tool to maintain vasodilatation in complicated pregnancies. We have demonstrated previously that SC shows a hypotensive selective effect in normal rat pregnancies when compared with nonpregnant animals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Maternal blood pressure, weight and mortality during pre- and postnatal development, maternal blood cellularity and haemodynamic changes with maternal and fetal Doppler quantitative indices.
  
  
  RESULTS
  SC restores normal values of blood pressure, cell count and proteinuria for maternal syndrome. In offspring, SC improves weight gain and increases survival rates without fetotoxic effects. According to the haemodynamic results, SC has a significant effect on the resistance index in the uterine artery in pre-eclamptic animals, as it restores normal values to correlate with an increase in fetal perfusion through the ductus venosus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These results suggest that SC administration during pregnancy may have a potential benefit for the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy by reversing the maternal effects of pre-eclampsia and by improving uteroplacental and fetal perfusion.
authors: Fundación IVI-Instituto Universitario IVI, University of Valencia, Paterna, Spain.
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Herraiz
authors: B
authors: B
authors: Pellicer
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Serra
authors: O
authors: O
authors: Cauli
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Cortijo
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Felipo
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Pellicer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D005333:Fetus / Q000098:blood supply; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010879:Piperazines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011225:Pre-Eclampsia / Q000097:blood / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011687:Purines / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler
chemical_list: D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate