Prostaglandins and echocardiography in the assessment of patent ductus arteriosus.

Prostaglandin (PG) levels and M-mode echocardiography were used to evaluate the severity of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) in 19 premature infants. Mean 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels in infants with more severe left-to-right shunting were significantly higher than those in infants with a moderate level of shunting (1335 +/- 763 vs. 504 +/- 348 pg/ml, respectively). Furthermore, there was a significant correlation between this elevation and a decrease in the left ventricular systolic time interval, suggesting that both reflect the severity of ductal shunting. Although other echocardiographic measurements of cardiovascular function generally showed some tendency to vary with 6-keto-PGF1 alpha levels, none was as closely correlated with the extent of PG elevation. Levels of PGE2 also seemed to vary with PDA severity; however, this correlation was not as significant.