Low dose dopamine in the treatment of persistent oliguria in pre-eclampsia

Oliguria in pre-eclamptic women is most often a result of decreased intravascular volume. In a small number of patients, renal vascular spasm may be the cause of decreased urine output. Prolonged oliguria/anuria secondary to vasospasm may lead to permanent renal damage. When volume repletion is unsuccessful in restoring urine output, some authors have suggested the use of peripheral vasodilators such as hydralazine. Dopamine in low doses 2 micrograms/kg per min was used successfully to restore urine output within an hour in a pre-eclamptic patient who had been essentially anuric for 8 h. Volume administration and hydralazine were unsuccessful. In the rare instance of a patient who is unresponsive to conventional methods, low dose dopamine may provide an adjunctive therapy to restore urine output after delivery. Central monitoring is essential in following such patients.