Abstract
It has been suggested that plasma sulfoconjugated dopamine (DA) may serve as a source or reservoir for free DA in plasma. Moreover, it has also been reported that the plasma levels of conjugated DA may be used as an index predicting heart failure in patients with heart disease. Therefore, in the present study, we have measured the plasma levels of free and sulfoconjugated DA in patients with congenital heart disease who underwent total corrective operations. The patients were divided into two groups with (6 patients with tetralogy of Fallot, TOF) or without (5 patients with ventricular septal defect without pulmonary hypertension, VSD) cyanosis (mean age of 2.11 years). Blood samples were collected before and after operation from the patients, and plasma free and sulfoconjugated DA levels were measured using high performance liquid chromatography. Preoperative levels of free DA in patients in both groups were higher than the level in age matched control subjects. The plasma level of conjugated DA in TOF was higher than that in the controls and was the highest in VSD before operation. DA infusion early after operation caused a rise in plasma free and conjugated DA, however, the levels of increased free DA were lower in the VSD than in the TOF group. After discontinuing DA infusion, the plasma levels of free DA remained higher, while those of conjugated DA decreased to a level lower than the preoperative values in both groups. As the plasma levels of free and sulfoconjugated DA vary with hemodynamics, it was assumed that the difference in the plasma sulfoconjugated DA level between the groups before operation was due to the influence of pulminary blood flow on catecholamine homeostasis. Since the decrease in conjugated DA has been postulated to be an index of sustained heart failure, it is conceivable that it takes a long time for patients who underwent cardiac operations in infancy to recover from heart failure.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Kopin IJ. Catecholamine metabolism: basic aspects and clinical significance. Pharmacol Rev 1985; 37: 333–64.
Roth JA, Rivett AJ. Does sulfate conjugation contribute to the metabolic inactivation of cate-cholamines in humans? Biochem Pharmacol 1982; 31: 3017–21.
Da Prada M. Concentration, dynamics and functional meaning of catecholamines in plasma and urine. Trends Pharmacol Sci 1980; 1: 157–9.
Johnson GA, Baker CA, Smith RT. Radioenzymatic assay of sulfate conjugates of catecholamines and dopa in plasma. Life Sci 1980; 26: 1591–8.
Kuchel O, Buu NT, Fontaine A, Hamet P, Beroniade V, Larochelle P, et al. Free and conjugated plasma catecholamines in hypertensive patients with and without pheochromocytoma. Hypertension 1980; 2: 177–86.
Joyce DA, Beilin LJ, Vandongen R, Davidson L. Plasma free and sulfate conjugated catecholamine levels during acute physiological stimulation in man. Life Sci 1982; 30: 447–54.
Kuchel O. Clinical implications of genetic and acquired defects in catecholamine synthesis and metabolism. Clin Invest Med 1994; 17: 354–73.
Yoshizumi M, Ohuchi T, Masuda Y, Katoh I, Oka M. Deconjugating activity for sulfoconjugated dopamine in homogenates of organs from dogs. Biochem Pharmacol 1992; 44: 2263–5.
Candito M, Albertini M, Politano S, Deville A, Chambon P. Plasma catecholamine levels in children. J Chromatogr 1993; 617: 304–7.
Eichler I, Eichler HG, Rotter M, Kyrle PA, Gasic S, Korn A. Plasma concentrations of free and sulfoconjugated dopamine, epinephrine, and norepinephrine in healthy infants and children. Klin Wochenscher 1989; 67: 672–5.
Yoshikawa M, Endo H, Komatsu K, Fujihara M, Takaiti O, Kagoshima T, et al. Disposition of a new orally active dopamine prodrug, N-(N-acetyl-L-methionyl)-O, O-bis (ethoxycarbonyl) dopamine (TA-870) in humans. Drug Metab Dispos 1990; 18: 212–7.
Ratge D, Baumgardt G, Knoll E, Wisser H. Plasma free and conjugated catecholamines in diagnosis and localizations of pheochromocytoma. Clin Chim Acta 1983; 132: 229–43.
Bauer BA, Rogers PJ, Miller TD, Bove AA, Tyce GM. Exercise training produces changes in free and conjugated catecholamines. Med Sci Sports Exerc 1989; 21: 558–62.
Kyncl JJ, Buckner SA, Brondyk H, et al. Adrenergic and dopaminergic properties of dopamine sulfoconjugates. J Cardiovasc Pharmacol 1985; 7: 1198–204.
Yoshizumi M, Kitagawa T, Hori T, Katoh I, Houchi H, Ohuchi T, et al. Physiological significance of plasma sulfoconjugated dopamine in patients with hypertension-clinical and experimental studies. Life Sci 1996; 59: 323–30.
Yoshizumi M, Ishimura Y, Masuda Y, Ohuchi T, Katoh I, Houchi H, et al. Physiological significance of plasma sulfoconjugated dopamine: experimental and clinical studies. Hypertens Res 1995; 18: S101–6.
Yoshizumi M, Katoh I, Egawa Y, Kitagawa T, Miki O, Masuda Y, et al. Changes in plasma sulfoconjugated catecholamines during perioperative period of cardiac operations-effect of continuous infusion of dopamine- J Jpn Assn Thorac Surg 40; 1992: 194–201.
Nakaya Y, Katayama T, Nomura M, Ishimura Y, Ohuchi T, Oka M, et al. Pathophysiologic significance of free and conjugated dopamines in congestive heart failure. Am heart J 1994; 127: 613–7.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yoshizumi, M., Kitagawa, T., Masuda, Y. et al. Changes in plasma free and sulfoconjugated dopamine in patients with congenital heart disease who underwent cardiac operation. Jpn J Thorac Caridovasc Surg 46, 651–656 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217797
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF03217797