Abstract
Dopamine (DA), produced in proximal tubular cells, is believed to be an important intrarenal natriuretic hormone. Experimental studies have shown that the natriuretic effect of DA is less pronounced in the fetal kidney. We have evaluated renal DA and norepinephrine (NE) in the neonatal period, using urinary excretion as an indicator of renally produced/released-catecholamines. In very low-birth-weight infants (25-30 weeks gestational age) there was an increase in urinary DA (pmol/mumol urinary creatine) and NE (pmol/mumol urinary creatinine) from 1 to 13 days postnatal age, despite a decrease in sodium excretion. Urinary NE correlated with plasma NE, whereas plasma DA was undetectable. In summary, NE excretion parallels plasma levels and could reflect the general sympathoadrenal activity, whereas DA is primarily of renal origin. Renal DA and NE increase in the first 2 weeks of life in immature infants. We conclude that the catecholamine system of the human kidney undergoes maturational changes postnatally.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
