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ADRENOCORTICOTROPHIN AND GLUCOCORTICOID RESPONSE TO EXCHANGE TRANSFUSION
Author(s) -
MILNER R. D. G.,
CSER AGNES,
GOODE MARGARET,
RATCLIFFE J. G.
Publication year - 1976
Publication title -
acta pædiatrica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.772
H-Index - 115
eISSN - 1651-2227
pISSN - 0803-5253
DOI - 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1976.tb04912.x
Subject(s) - medicine , glucocorticoid , umbilical artery , exchange transfusion , umbilical vein , gestation , blood transfusion , endocrinology , anesthesia , pregnancy , biology , biochemistry , in vitro , genetics
. Plasma adrenocorticotrophin (ACTH) and glucocorticoid concentrations were measured during and for 3 hours after exchange transfusion in four groups of infants. Transfusions with ACD blood via the umbilical artery were performed on 10 infants of 35–40 weeks gestation and 11 infants of 27 to 33 weeks gestation. Ten transfusions via the umbilical vein were performed with ACD blood and 9 with heparin blood on infants of 32 to 41 weeks gestation. In all four types of transfusion there was a significant washing out of ACTH and glucocorticoids from the baby. An associated rise of plasma ACTH and glucocorticoid levels indicated increased secretion in the larger infants transfused with ACD blood via the umbilical artery. Equivocal results were obtained in the other groups. After all types of transfusion plasma glucocorticoid levels remained relatively constant for one hour and then doubled in the second and third hour. The results suggest that ( a ) exchange transfusion via the umbilical artery is more stressful than that via the umbilical vein, ( b ) the glucocorticoid response of premature infants to exchange transfusion is similar to that of mature infants, ( c ) an unspecified stimulus, which is not solely hypoglycaemia nor the metabolic reaction to a citrate load, results in a rise in plasma glucocorticoid levels 2–3 hours after all types of transfusion.