Serum Aldosterone Concentrations Related to Sodium Balance in the Newborn Infant
Serum aldosterone concentrations and sodium (Na) balance were studied between 24 and 48 hours of life in 39 newborn infants of various gestational ages and in infants with or without respiratory distress syndrome (RDS) . The serum aldosterone levels in the neonatal period were high but not related to gestational age. The serum aldosterone levels of small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants were similar to those of the full-term infants. In normal infants (preterm and full term) and in SGA infants, the mean oral Na intake was 1.0 mEq/kg/24 hr; in this group of infants, no correlation was observed between Na intake and excretion or between Na intake and serum aldosterone concentrations, probably due to the narrow range of Na intake. In preterm infants with RDS, Na was given in larger quantities and by the parenteral route. In this group, significant correlations were observed between Na intake and Na excretion and between Na intake and serum aldosterone concentrations. These data suggest that the expected sodium dependent regulatory mechanism for aldosterone secretion is functional 10 the preterm infants with RDS when given a large sodium load; and that the quantity of Na excretion is consistent with the variations in aldosterone concentrations.