title: Nifedipine increases fetoplacental perfusion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Our aim is to evaluate the effect of nifedipine on fetoplacental hemodynamic parameters.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was conducted at a tertiary center with 30 patients for whom nifedipine treatment was used as a tocolytic therapy for preterm labor. Initiation of this treatment was at 31.6±2.5 weeks of gestation. We combined the pulse Doppler imaging parameters with grayscale imaging via the Bernoulli theorem, which is called the "continuity equation", to get the fetoplacental perfusion (FPP). Evaluated parameters were the resistance index (RI), the pulsatility index (PI), systole/diastole ratios (S/D), the velocity-time integral of the umbilical artery (VTI), the radius of the umbilical artery, the peak systolic velocity and the mean pressure gradient in the umbilical artery. From these parameters, the FPP was acquired.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the RI, the PI and the S/D ratio did not change after treatment with nifedipine. The mean pressure gradient, the VTI and the peak systolic velocity increased after treatment with nifedipine. Nifedipine increases FPP from 166±73.81 beat.cm3/min to 220±83.3 beat.cm3/min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although nifedipine had no effect on the PI, the RI or the S/D, it increased the mean pressure gradient, the VTI and FPP.
authors.forename: Ertugrul
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Karahanoglu
authors.forename: Orhan
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Altinboga
authors.forename: Funda
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Akpinar
authors.forename: Erhan
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Demirdag
authors.forename: Safak
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozdemirci
authors.forename: Aysegul
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akyol
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yalvac
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D009543:Nifedipine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D021041:Placental Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D011247:Pregnancy; D047928:Premature Birth / Q000517:prevention & control*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D015149:Tocolytic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018617:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Pulsed; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D014469:Umbilical Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D015149:Tocolytic Agents; D009543:Nifedipine