J Korean Pediatr Soc.  2000 Oct;43(10):1318-1322.

Effects of Ductal Closure on Flow Velocities of Peripheral Pulmonary Arteries in Normal Term Infants

• Kim HS
• Sohn SJ
• Hong YM

Abstract

PURPOSE: This study was performed to evaluate whether a relationship may exist between transient peripheral pulmonary stenosis and the closure of the ductus arteriosus in term infants.
METHODS
A total of 69 healthy full-term infants had pulmonary artery and ductal color Doppler flow velocity assessment performed at of 10 hours age(group I), 1-2 days of age(group II), and 1-2 weeks of age(group III). We measured the following variables at the main pulmonary artery, the right pulmonary artery and the left pulmonary artery ' diameter, flow velocity and velocity- time integral, acceleration time(AT), ejection time(ET).
RESULTS
Diameters of right and left pulmonary arteries of group III were smaller than that of group I(P<0.01). There was no difference between groups in terms of RPA/LPA diameter ratio. There was significant difference between groups in terms of right and left pulmonary artery peak flow velocities. Right pulmonary artery(RPA)/left pulmonary artery(LPA) peak velocity ratio of group III was lower than that of group I and group II. There were significant differences between groups in terms of the right and left pulmonary artery peak velocity-time integral. RPA/LPA peak velocity-time integral ratio of group III are lower than those of group I. There were significant differences between groups in terms of right and left pulmonary artery acceleration time/ejection time(P<0.05). There were no significant differences between groups in term of RPA/LPA AT/ET ratios. The increase of peak flow velocity % of RPA and LPA in groups II and III is higher than that of group I.
CONCLUSION
Ductal constriction could explain increases in left pulmonary arterial flow velocities in full term infants.

Keyword

Arterial duct; Peripheral pulmonary stenosis

MeSH Terms

Acceleration
Constriction
Ductus Arteriosus
Humans
Infant*
Pulmonary Artery*
Pulmonary Valve Stenosis