- Title
- Sex-specific differences in peripheral microvascular blood flow in preterm infants
- Creator
- Stark, Michal J.; Clifton, Vicki L.; Wright, Ian M. R.
- Relation
- Pediatric Research Vol. 63, Issue 4, p. 415-419
- Publisher Link
- http://dx.doi.org/10.1203/01.pdr.0000304937.38669.63
- Publisher
- International Pediatrics Research Foundation
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2008
- Description
- Microvascular blood flow is related to physiologic instability in newborn preterm infants. We investigated sex-specific differences in basal microvascular blood flow and the ability of the microvasculature to respond to vasoactive stimuli following preterm birth. Ninety-six infants in two gestational age groups (24-28 and 29-36 wk) were studied on days 1-5 of life. Laser Doppler flow-metry was used to measure baseline microvascular blood flow and vasodilatation in response to acetylcholine and local warming. A significant interaction of gestational age and sex was observed for baseline flow at 24 h of age. In the 24-28 wk group, male infants had higher baseline flow than females. Male, but not female, infants born at 24-28 wk exhibited a significant relationship between baseline flow and vasodilatory response to acetylcholine at 24 h of age. By 120 h of age, both sexes exhibited similar responses. Infants born at 24-28 wk exhibited greater vasodilatation in response to local warming than those born at 29-36 wk at 24, 72, and 120 h of age. Sex-specific differences in microvascular blood flow and vasodilatory capacity in the immediate newborn period may affect the transitional circulation, contributing to excess of morbidity and mortality in preterm males.
- Subject
- microvascular blood flow; preterm infants; sex differences; vasodilatory capacity; circulation
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/43050
- Identifier
- uon:5184
- Identifier
- ISSN:0031-3998
- Language
- eng
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