Vasopressin and the Asphyxiated Neonate

• Author / Creator

  Pelletier, Jean-Sébastien

• Cardiovascular dysfunction in asphyxiated neonates leads to significant morbidity and mortality and the hemodynamic support is limited to the use of catecholamines. In a pilot study, we showed that low-dose vasopressin improved myocardial tissue lactate levels, suggesting decreased anaerobic metabolism. We postulated that starting this infusion earlier would benefit systemic hemodynamics. The aim was to compare the systemic and regional hemodynamic effects of vasopressin and dobutamine, a synthetic beta-adrenoreceptor agonist commonly used clinically. This study is the first to demonstrate that a low-dose vasopressin infusion used in the setting of a neonatal swine model of hypoxia-reoxygenation improves cardiac output and mesenteric perfusion, with results comparable to those of dobutamine. Improved myocardial biomarkers and evidence of decreased mesenteric oxidative stress confirmed our results. We did not demonstrate a benefit to the combined used of vasopressin and dobutamine. We conclude that low-dose vasopressin may be useful in the treatment of perinatal asphyxia.

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Vasopressin
  • Swine
  • Asphyxia
  • Neonatal
  • Dobutamine

• Graduation date

  Fall 2013

• Type of Item

  Thesis

• Degree

  Master of Science

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3T111

• License

  This thesis is made available by the University of Alberta Libraries with permission of the copyright owner solely for non-commercial purposes. This thesis, or any portion thereof, may not otherwise be copied or reproduced without the written consent of the copyright owner, except to the extent permitted by Canadian copyright law.