Urinary prostaglandin E2 in the newborn and infant

Prostaglandin E(2) (PGE(2)) belongs to a family of biologically active lipids derived from the 20-carbon essential fatty acids. Renal PGE(2) is involved in the development of the kidney; it also contributes to regulate renal perfusion and glomerular filtration rate, and controls water and electrolyte balance. Furthermore, this mediator protects the kidney against excessive functional changes during the transition from fetal to extrauterine life, when it counteracts the vasoconstrictive effects of high levels of angiotensin II and other mediators. There is evidence that PGE(2) plays an important pathophysiological role in neonatal conditions of renal stress, and in congenital or acquired nephropaties. Thus, measurement of urinary PGE(2) as an index of renal synthesis of this primary prostaglandin may represent a non-invasive and sensitive method of investigating the homeostatic function of the kidney in early life. The aim of this literature review is to examine urinary PGE(2) as a non-invasive marker of renal homeostasis in the newborn and infant under both physiological and pathological conditions, or during treatments with widely used, potentially toxic drugs.