A chronic reduction in uterine perfusion pressure in the pregnant rat is associated with significant elevations in mean arterial pressure, proteinuria, and reductions in kidney function as is chronic nitric oxide blockade, suggesting that nitric oxide deficiency may contribute to the clinical manifestations of preeclampsia. The purpose of this study was to determine whether supplementation with L-arginine, the precursor for nitric oxide, attenuates the hypertension produced in response to a chronic reduction in uterine perfusion pressure in the pregnant rat. Reduced uterine perfusion was initiated at day 14 of gestation with arterial pressure determined at day 19 of gestation in conscious, chronically instrumented rats. Arterial pressure was significantly elevated in pregnant rats with chronic reductions in uterine perfusion as compared with pregnant control rats (132+/-2 versus 109+/-2 mm Hg, P<0.01, respectively). Treatment with L-arginine (2%) in the drinking water was initiated at day 10 of gestation. l-arginine supplementation resulted in a significant decrease in arterial pressure in both pregnant rats with reduced uterine perfusion pressure (113+/-2 mm Hg treated, P<0.01 versus untreated pregnant with reduced uterine perfusion pressure) and pregnant control (97+/-3 mm Hg treated, P<0.01 versus untreated pregnant) rats. However, supplementation with L-arginine decreased blood pressure by 19 mm Hg in pregnant with reduced uterine perfusion pressure (untreated versus treated) as compared with 12 mm Hg in pregnant (untreated versus treated) rats. Thus, these results suggest that l-arginine supplementation may be beneficial in attenuating the hypertension in preeclampsia.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.1161/01.HYP.0000119192.32360.a9 | DOI Listing |
Am J Obstet Gynecol
January 2025
Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, Fetal Medicine Research Institute, King's College Hospital, London, UK; School of Biomedical Engineering and Imaging Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
Background: The role of maternal cardiac and hemodynamic assessment during normal and complicated pregnancies has gained attention during the last few years. Some researchers suggested that the manifestation of complications in pregnancy suffering from impaired placentation is mainly driven by pre-existing cardiac changes, identifiable at an early stage by echocardiographic and hemodynamic assessment. It is therefore of great importance to determine the link between placental perfusion and maternal cardiac function and hemodynamics.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSci Rep
January 2025
Department of Radiology, Turku University Hospital and University of Turku, Kiinamyllynkatu 4-8, Turku, 20521, Finland.
To assess the utility of IVIM parameters in evaluating uterine fibroid blood flow compared to dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) derived blood flow. Sixteen premenopausal women with uterine fibroids were enrolled in this prospective study. Pelvic MRI scans were obtained for each subject, both with and without continuous intravenous infusion of oxytocin, known to decrease significantly uterine fibroid blood flow, to assess the changes in blood flow of uterine fibroids.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGland Surg
December 2024
Department of Gynecology, Wenzhou People's Hospital, Wenzhou, China.
Background: Infertility is a special reproductive health defect. For women, congenital uterine malformations, extensive adhesions in the uterine cavity, and hysterectomy are associated with infertility. Uterine transplantation is technically feasible, but its clinical application and development are limited by donor shortages and immune rejection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFUltrasound Obstet Gynecol
January 2025
Harris Birthright Research Centre for Fetal Medicine, King's College Hospital, London, UK.
Objective: Globally, one in four pregnant women is classified as overweight or obese, based on their prepregnancy body mass index (BMI). Obese pregnant women are at increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes and long-term cardiovascular disease that occurs earlier in life. This study aimed to assess maternal hemodynamic and vascular parameters at 35-37 weeks' gestation, to understand the alterations that may occur in association with increased maternal BMI and gestational weight gain, and to evaluate obesity-related pregnancy outcomes.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFJ Vis Exp
December 2024
Center for Engineering in Medicine and Surgery, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School; Shriners Children's Boston;
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