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Distribution of fentanyl in the placental intervillous space and in the different maternal and fetal compartments in term pregnant women

  • Pharmacokinetics and Disposition
  • Published:
European Journal of Clinical Pharmacology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Background

Fentanyl is used in obstetrical practice to promote analgesia and anesthesia during labor and in cesarean delivery, with rapid and short-term effects.

Objective

To determine fentanyl concentrations in maternal plasma, in the placental intervillous space, and in the umbilical artery and vein in term pregnant women.

Patients and methods

Ten healthy pregnant women underwent epidural anesthesia with fentanyl plus bupivacaine and lidocaine, and fentanyl concentrations were determined in the various maternal and fetal compartments, including the placental intervillous space, which has not been previously studied in the literature.

Results

The ratios of fentanyl concentrations in the various maternal and fetal compartments revealed an 86% rate of placental fentanyl transfer. The highest fentanyl concentrations were detected in the placental intervillous space, being 2.19 times higher than in maternal plasma, 2.8 times higher than in the umbilical vein and 3.6 times higher than in the umbilical artery, with no significant differences between the umbilical vein and artery, demonstrating that there was no drug uptake by fetal tissues nor metabolism of the drug by the fetus despite the high rates of placental transfer.

Conclusion

The present study demonstrated that the placental intervillous space acted as a site of fentanyl deposit, a fact that may be explained by two hypotheses: (1) the blood collected from the placental intervillous space is arterial and, according to some investigators, the arterial plasma concentrations of the drugs administered to patients undergoing epidural anesthesia are higher than the venous concentrations, and (2) a possible role of P-glycoprotein (P-gp).

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Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) for financial support and to Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) and Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES) for granting research fellowships.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Deparment of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Faculty of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Luciana de Barros Duarte, Elaine Cristine Dantas Moisés, Ricardo Carvalho Cavalli, Geraldo Duarte & Sérgio Pereira da Cunha

  2. Department of Clinical, Toxicologic and Bromatologic Analyses, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil

    Vera Lúcia Lanchote

  3. Departamento de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia – 8° andar, Hospital das Clínicas – Faculdade de Medicina de Ribeirão Preto, Av Bandeirantes, 3900 – Campus da USP, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brasil

    Luciana de Barros Duarte

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  1. Luciana de Barros Duarte
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  2. Elaine Cristine Dantas Moisés
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  3. Ricardo Carvalho Cavalli
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  4. Vera Lúcia Lanchote
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  5. Geraldo Duarte
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  6. Sérgio Pereira da Cunha
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Correspondence to Luciana de Barros Duarte.

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de Barros Duarte, L., Dantas Moisés, E.C., Carvalho Cavalli, R. et al. Distribution of fentanyl in the placental intervillous space and in the different maternal and fetal compartments in term pregnant women. Eur J Clin Pharmacol 65, 803–808 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-009-0645-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00228-009-0645-4

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