Effect of intermittent exposure to 3% CO2 on respiration, acid-base balance, and calcium-phosphorus metabolism.
One subject was exposed for six days to increasing levels of CO2, rising at a constant rate from 0.03 to 3.0% CO2 within a 15-h period followed by 9 h of air breathing. To assess acid-base parameters, arterialized capillary blood was taken from a finger twice daily (at 8 a.m. and 11 p.m.) at times corresponding to the beginning and end of the intermittent exposure to CO2. Venous blood samples were obtained on alternate days at the same times. Urine specimens were collected twice daily. The subject was on a liquid diet. Resting respiratory minute volume (VE), oxygen consumption (VO2), carbon dioxide excretion (VCO2), alveolar carbon dioxide and oxygen tension (PACO2) and PAO2) were measured twice daily. PACO2 and PAO2 were also determined at the end of breath-holding twice daily; CO2 tolerance tests and lung function tests were also carried out. In contrast to the effects of chronic exposure to 3% CO2, the CO2 tolerance tests showed an increased sensitivity (increase of slope) and breath-holding PACO2 did not change, indicating that acclimatization to CO2 did not develop. The ventilatory response to CO2 was not sufficient to prevent CO2 accumulation in the body; this accumulation was eliminated during the nightly air-breathing periods on the fourth and fifth days, indicated by higher values of PaCO2 and PACO2. The known renal response to hypercapnia, consisting of an increased excretion of titratable acidity, ammonia, and hydrogen ion excretion, occurred but was interrupted after the first day and was triggered again on the fourth and fith days when accumulated CO2 was released from body CO2 stores. The second renal response was associated with a marked calcium excretion, which suggests that bone CO2 stores were involved.
D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000187:drug effects*; D000328:Adult; D002118:Calcium / Q000378:metabolism; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D010100:Oxygen / Q000502:physiology; D010758:Phosphorus / Q000378:metabolism; D012119:Respiration / Q000187:drug effects*; D013997:Time Factors
D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010758:Phosphorus; D010100:Oxygen; D002118:Calcium