Endocrine Activity in Preterm and Full-Term Lambs

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Abstract
Neonatal endocrine status was studied in 14 lambs born 7 days before term, after estrogen injection into the ewes, and in 15 full-term animals. Plasma cortisol and triiodothyronine (T3) levels were depressed during the first hours of life in preterm lambs and plasma reverse T3 levels were significantly higher than in controls. The rise in plasma cortisol levels after Synacthen injection was significantly lowered by prematurity, suggesting reduced sensitivity of the adrenal cortex to ACTH. After ovine TSH injection, plasma thyroxine (T4) levels increased during a shorter period of time in preterm lambs, resulting in a lowered T4 rise; the T3 response was not affected by prematurity. After TRH injection, the rises in plasma T3 and T4 levels were significantly higher in preterm than in full-term lambs, suggesting a pituitary hypersensitivity to TRH linked to prematurity. Moreover it appeared that the response of reverse T3 to TSH or TRH was very weak.