[Doppler sonographic flow parameter of the anterior cerebral artery in patent ductus arteriosus of the newborn infant compared to a healthy control sample].

33 premature infants (age: 32 +/- 3 weeks; birth weight 1,268 +/- 535 gs) with the clinical signs of patent ductus arteriosus Botalli (PDA) and a control group of 96 healthy infants (age: 37 +/- 4 weeks; birth weight 2 348 +/- 944 gs) were investigated. Pulsed doppler recordings were obtained in the anterior cerebral arteries (ACA) and compared with the flow pattern in the truncus coeliacus (TC). In all children the maximal systolic velocity (Vs), the endsystolic (Ves) and the enddiastolic velocity (Ved) and the pulsatility-index (PI) were measured. The 96 healthy premature born infants showed the following velocities: Vs: 41 +/- 12 cm X sec-1; Ves: 19 +/- 7 cm X sec-1; Ved: 10 +/- 4 cm X sec-1. The pulsatility-index was 0.74 +/- 0.08. In children with PDA all velocities were significantly lower than in the healthy control group: Vs: 31 +/- 10 cm X sec-1; Ves: 7 +/- 6 cm X sec-1; Ved: -1 +/- 5 cm X sec-1. Ved was more decreased than Vs resulting in a significant increase in PI (1.04 +/- 0.14). 22 infants with surgically proven large PDA (age: 31 +/- 3 weeks; birth weight: 1,160 +/- 467 gs) showed significant lower velocities (Vs: 34 +/- 8 cm X sec-1; Ves: 4 +/- 4 cm X sec-1; Ved: -4 +/- 4 cm X sec-1) in comparison with the healthy control group and the 11 children with small PDA (age: 33 +/- 4 weeks; birth weight: 1,494 +/- 621 gs).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)