Arterial blood gas values in emphysematous hamsters.

Abstract

Arterial blood gas values, pH, mean aortic blood pressure, and heart rate were measured at rest and during moderate treadmill exercise (9.6 m/min, 0 grade) in awake, unrestrained male golden hamsters (Meso-cricetus aura tus) using a cannula implanted in the aortic arch. Emphysema was induced in 14 animals with porcine pancreatic elastase (0.2 mg/0.5 ml of 0.15 M NaCl solution/100 g of body weight) given intratracheally 32 days before study. The animals were killed immediately after blood drawing, and pulmonary histology and stereology were evaluated. The emphysematous hamsters showed significantly decreased mean arterial Po2 and increased alveolar-arterial Po2 difference (ΔAaPo2) and hematocrit compared to control animals. Six of the emphysematous hamsters had arterial Pco2 values above the 95 % confidence limits of normal (arterial Pco2 > 45.8 mm Hg), but the increase was slight in 5 of the animals. The hypercapnic animals were acidemic and had more severe hypoxemia and larger mean linear intercept value...