Hormonal and metabolic effects of intravenous infusion of prostacyclin in healthy women

Abstract

Abstract. To study the hormonal and metabolic effects of prostacyclin (PGI2), 6 healthy women were infused iv with PGI2 (1, 2, 4, and 8 ng/kg/min, each for 20 min) dissolved in glycine buffer, or with glycine buffer only. Serial blood samples collected before, during and after the infusion were assayed for FSH, LH, prolactin, growth hormone, thyrotrophin, oestradiol, progesterone, testosterone, cortisol, thyroxine, triiodothyronine, renin, aldosterone, glucose, insulin, glucagon, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein-cholesterol, triglycerides, alkaline phosphatase, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, bilirubin, sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, inorganic phosphorous, creatinine and uric acid. PGI2 infusions were accompanied by increased levels of prolactin, growth hormone and cortisol, probably due to the stressful side-effects during PGI2 infusion. In addition, plasma renin activity, glucagon and blood glucose increased, whereas the other variables measured did not change. These PGI2-effects should be kept in mind, when PGI2 is used in clinical practice.

Effects of a 72-hour prostacyclin infusion on the hormone levels in patients with obliterative arterial disease

“…This is supported by the fact that the increase was seen only initially and not during the long-term infusion. The stress concept agree with the Finding by other investiga¬ tors (Allolio et al 1980;Ylikorkala et al 1982).…”

“…We did not measure the glucagon level, which was reported to rise during PGI2 by Ylikorkala et al (1982). The insulin levels remained unchanged in our long-term experiment as well as in the shortterm ones (Date et al 1981;Scherthaler et al 1981;Patrono et al 1981;Ylikorkala et al 1982). …”

“…After short-term infusion of PGI2 a moderate increase in the blood sugar level has been noted in healthy volunteers (Ylikorkala et al 1982;Date et al 1981), but there was no effect of PGI2 on the postprandial glucose levels (Date et al 1981). We did not measure the glucagon level, which was reported to rise during PGI2 by Ylikorkala et al (1982).…”