title: Fetal cardiac function after labetalol or pindolol for maternal hypertension in a sheep model of increased placental vascular resistance.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We hypothesized that labetalol and pindolol have no detrimental effects on fetal cardiac function and pulmonary hemodynamics when administered for norepinephrine-induced maternal hypertension in a chronic sheep model of increased placental vascular resistance. Specifically, we investigated the effects of labetalol and pindolol on fetal cardiopulmonary responses to acute hypoxemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty chronically instrumented near-term ewes with increased placental vascular resistance after placental embolization were anesthetized and randomized to receive labetalol or pindolol for norepinephrine-induced hypertension. Thereafter, maternal inspiratory oxygen fraction was decreased to induce fetal hypoxemia. At the end of each phase, fetal hemodynamics were assessed by Doppler ultrasonography. The data were analyzed using repeated measures ANOVA.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Maternal administration of norepinephrine had no effect on fetal hemodynamics. Pindolol decreased fetal heart rate and weight-indexed left ventricular cardiac output and increased pulmonary vascular impedances, while labetalol had no effect on these parameters. During hypoxemia, fetal heart rate increased to baseline in the pindolol group and pulmonary vascular impedances increased in the labetalol group, with no changes in fetal cardiac outputs.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pindolol decreased fetal left ventricular cardiac output and induced vasoconstriction in the pulmonary vasculature, but neither pindolol nor labetalol significantly modified fetal cardiopulmonary responses to acute hypoxemia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, University of Oulu, Oulu, Finland. tiina.erkinaro@pp.fimnet.fi
authors.forename: Tiina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Erkinaro
authors.forename: Mervi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Haapsamo
authors.forename: Tomi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kavasmaa
authors.forename: Kaarin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mäkikallio
authors.forename: Ganesh
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Acharya
authors.forename: Juha
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Räsänen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000187:drug effects*; D046110:Hypertension, Pregnancy-Induced / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D000860:Hypoxia; D007741:Labetalol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D009638:Norepinephrine; D010869:Pindolol / Q000009:adverse effects*; D021041:Placental Circulation; D011247:Pregnancy; D011652:Pulmonary Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D012756:Sheep; D014655:Vascular Resistance
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010869:Pindolol; D007741:Labetalol; D009638:Norepinephrine