Prostanoids determine the range of cerebral blood flow autoregulation of newborn piglets.

To assess whether prostanoids have a role in setting the blood pressure limits of cerebral blood flow autoregulation in newborn animals, we measured cerebral blood flow and prostanoid concentrations in blood from the sagittal sinus over a wide range of mean systemic blood pressures (17-117 mm Hg) in eight newborn piglets treated with 30 mg/kg i.v. ibuprofen and in eight vehicle-treated piglets. Blood pressure was adjusted by inflating balloon-tipped catheters placed at the aortic isthmus and root to induce hypertension and hypotension, respectively, 80 minutes apart in each piglet. Cerebral blood flow and concentrations of prostaglandins E and F2 alpha, 6-keto-prostaglandin F1 alpha, and thromboxane B2 in blood from the sagittal sinus and left subclavian artery were measured 20 minutes before (baseline) and during each blood pressure adjustment. In vehicle-treated piglets, cerebral blood flow was constant at blood pressures between 50 and 90 mm Hg (r = 0.06, p = 0.85). When blood pressure was reduced to less than 50 mm Hg, thromboxane B2 concentration in the sagittal sinus increased by 597 +/- 42% and concentrations of the prostaglandins increased by an average of 308 +/- 45% (p less than 0.05). When blood pressure was raised to greater than 90 mm Hg, concentrations of the prostaglandins increased by an average of 46 +/- 11%, with no change in the concentration of thromboxane B2. Treatment with ibuprofen reduced the baseline concentrations of all prostanoids and prevented their changing during hypotension and hypertension.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)