Skip to main content
PMC home page
Archives of Disease in Childhood logoLink to Archives of Disease in Childhood
. 1983 Apr;58(4):262–266. doi: 10.1136/adc.58.4.262

Catecholamine surge and lung function after delivery.

G Faxelius, K Hägnevik, H Lagercrantz, B Lundell, L Irestedt
PMCID: PMC1627967  PMID: 6847229

Abstract

Lung function was measured at 30 minutes and again at 2 hours after birth in 12 infants delivered vaginally, in 15 infants delivered by elective caesarean section under general anaesthesia (GA), and in 15 delivered under epidural anesthesia (EDA). Umbilical arterial blood was analysed for pH and for concentrations of catecholamines and cortisol. No important differences in gestational age, birthweight, Apgar scores, or haematocrit were found among the three groups. Tidal volume and minute ventilation measured 30 minutes after birth were lower in infants delivered by caesarean section than in those delivered vaginally and at 2 hours the tidal volume was still lower in the babies delivered by caesarean section than in those delivered vaginally. Dynamic compliance was lower at 30 minutes in the group that had a caesarean section than in the vaginal group, and this difference was significant at two hours. Tidal volume, minute ventilation, and dynamic compliance in the GA and EDA groups did not differ. The catecholamine and cortisol concentrations at birth were higher in the vaginal group than in the group delivered by caesarean section. Two hours after birth there was a significant correlation (r = 0.84) between the catecholamine concentrations of the infants born vaginally and lung compliance. The lower dynamic lung compliance in infants delivered by elective caesarean section might be explained by delayed absorption of liquid in the lung due to lack of catecholamine surge.

Full text

PDF
262

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Ahlström H., Jonson B. Pulmonary mechanics in infants. Methodological aspects. Scand J Respir Dis. 1974;55(2):129–140. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Bergman B., Hedner T., Lundborg P. Pressure-volume relationship and fluid content in fetal rabbit lung after beta-receptor-stimulating drugs. Pediatr Res. 1980 Sep;14(9):1067–1070. doi: 10.1203/00006450-198009000-00009. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Boon A. W., Milner A. D., Hopkin I. E. Lung volumes and lung mechanics in babies born vaginally and by elective and emergency lower segmental cesarean section. J Pediatr. 1981 May;98(5):812–815. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(81)80854-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Faxelius G., Bremme K., Lagercrantz H. An old problem revisited--hyaline membrane disease and Cesarean section. Eur J Pediatr. 1982 Oct;139(2):121–124. doi: 10.1007/BF00441494. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. GEUBELLE F., KARLBERG P., KOCH G., LIND J., WALLGREN G., WEGELIUS C. [Aeration of the lung in the newborn infant]. Biol Neonat. 1959 Oct;1:169–210. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Gennser G., Ohrlander S., Eneroth P. Fetal cortisol and the initiation of labour in the human. Ciba Found Symp. 1977;(47):401–426. doi: 10.1002/9780470720295.ch17. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Hjalmarson O., Krantz M. E., Jacobsson B., Sörensen S. E. The importance of neonatal asphyxia and caesarean section as risk factors for neonatal respiratory disorders in an unselected population. Acta Paediatr Scand. 1982 May;71(3):403–408. doi: 10.1111/j.1651-2227.1982.tb09442.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Hjemdahl P., Daleskog M., Kahan T. Determination of plasma catecholamines by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection: comparison with a radioenzymatic method. Life Sci. 1979 Jul 9;25(2):131–138. doi: 10.1016/0024-3205(79)90384-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Irestedt L., Lagercrantz H., Hjemdahl P., Hägnevik K., Belfrage P. Fetal and maternal plasma catecholamine levels at elective cesarean section under general or epidural anesthesia versus vaginal delivery. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1982 Apr 15;142(8):1004–1010. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(82)90783-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. KARLBERG P. The adaptive changes in the immediate postnatal period, with particular reference to respiration. J Pediatr. 1960 May;56:585–604. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(60)80332-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Lawson E. E., Brown E. R., Torday J. S., Madansky D. L., Taeusch H. W., Jr The effect of epinephrine on tracheal fluid flow and surfactant efflux in fetal sheep. Am Rev Respir Dis. 1978 Dec;118(6):1023–1026. doi: 10.1164/arrd.1978.118.6.1023. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Milner A. D., Saunders R. A., Hopkin I. E. Effects of delivery by caesarean section on lung mechanics and lung volume in the human neonate. Arch Dis Child. 1978 Jul;53(7):545–548. doi: 10.1136/adc.53.7.545. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Nylund L., Lagercrantz H., Lunell N. O. Catecholamines in fetal blood during birth in man. J Dev Physiol. 1979 Dec;1(6):427–430. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Talbert L. M., Pearlman W. H., Potter H. D. Maternal and fetal serum levels of total cortisol and cortisone, unbound cortisol, and corticosteroid-binding globulin in vaginal delivery and cesarean section. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1977 Dec 1;129(7):781–787. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(77)90397-0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Usher R. H., Allen A. C., McLean F. H. Risk of respiratory distress syndrome related to gestational age, route of delivery, and maternal diabetes. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1971 Nov;111(6):826–832. doi: 10.1016/0002-9378(71)90495-9. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Vyas H., Milner A. D., Hopkins I. E. Intrathoracic pressure and volume changes during the spontaneous onset of respiration in babies born by cesarean section and by vaginal delivery. J Pediatr. 1981 Nov;99(5):787–791. doi: 10.1016/s0022-3476(81)80412-x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Walters D. V., Olver R. E. The role of catecholamines in lung liquid absorption at birth. Pediatr Res. 1978 Mar;12(3):239–242. doi: 10.1203/00006450-197803000-00017. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from Archives of Disease in Childhood are provided here courtesy of BMJ Publishing Group

RESOURCES