[Studies on catecholamine and its metabolites in the evaluation of fetal distress]

To determine the usefulness of catecholamine (CA) levels in the evaluation of fetal distress during delivery, norepinephrine (NE), its intermediate metabolite 3,4-dihydroxyphenylethyleneglycol (DOPEG), and 3,4-dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC), which is the main intermediate metabolite of dopamine (DA), were simultaneously measured in umbilical arterial and venous blood (UA, UV) and in maternal venous blood (MV). The correlations of these concentrations with blood pH and the 1-min. Apgar score were examined. Of the 124 subjects studied, 24 had elective cesarean section (CS), and 100 had vaginal delivery (VD), which was uncomplicated in 84 (ND) and complicated by fetal distress in 16 (FD). The results were as follows: 1. In the ND, FD and CS groups, UA-NE and UA-DOPEG levels were high, as follows: FD group greater than ND group greater than CS group and FD group greater than ND, CS group, respectively. 2. There were no significant differences between DOPAC levels in UA, UV and MV plasma and in FD, ND and CS groups. 3. In the ND group, higher UA-NE values were found in the group at UA-pH less than 7.20 than in those at UA-pH greater than or equal to 7.20, but UA-DOPEG values did not vary significantly with UA-pH. 4. In the ND group, higher UA-DOPEG values were found with Apgar score less than or equal to 7 than with Apgar score greater than or equal to 8, but UA-NE values did not vary significantly with the Apgar score.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)