Corticotrophin-releasing hormone stimulation tests in late-onset circulatory collapse

Late-onset circulatory collapse (LCC) is the transient development of refractory hypotension and oliguria after the early neonatal period, which may cause periventricular leukomalacia (PVL). The aim of this study was to evaluate the endogenous cortisol response to corticotrophin-releasing hormone (CRH) and determine whether it is effective for elucidating the pathology and selecting treatment in LCC.

This retrospective study examined infants admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit. Included were preterm (gestational age <34 weeks) infants who underwent CRH stimulation test and were treated for LCC with no obvious cause. Hydrocortisone (HC; 3.3-10 mg/kg) was given by bolus injection to the LCC infants. At 2 h after treatment, infants without a 20% rise in blood pressure (systolic or mean) from before treatment were defined as non-responsive to HC, and given catecholamine and/or vasopressin.

Sixteen infants (median gestational age, 24 weeks 3 days; birthweight, 638 g) were eligible. Six of the infants had a good response to the CRH stimulation test. HC was effective in only three CRH good-response cases, and catecholamine and/or vasopressin was needed in the three other cases. HC was effective, however, for all CRH non-response cases.

Although HC is the first-choice treatment for LCC, the CRH stimulation test facilitates prompt treatment of LCC, which may prevent PVL. The present findings help elucidate the pathology and aid in the selection of treatment for infants with LCC.