title: Changes in the PR, RR intervals and ST waveform of the fetal lamb electrocardiogram with acute hypoxemia.
abstract: The PR and RR intervals and T wave amplitude of the fetal lamb electrocardiogram were studied during acute hypoxemia produced by reduction of the maternal placental blood flow. Five chronically-instrumented fetal lambs (124 to 143 days of gestation) were subjected to acute hypoxemia (observations = 13) through complete occlusion of the maternal aorta for 60 s. The fetuses responded to the occlusion with a fall in oxygen tension (2.18 +/- 0.12 kPa to 1.11 +/- 0.14 kPa, SEM, P < 0.001) and oxygen saturation (48 +/- 4% to 19 +/- 4%, P < 0.001). Modest changes of pH (7.37 +/- 0.05 to 7.35 +/- 0.01, p), carbon dioxide tension (5.79 +/- 0.15 kPa to 6.17 +/- 0.14 kPa, P < 0.001) and plasma lactate concentration (2.1 +/- 0.6 mmol/l to 2.2 +/- 0.6 mmol/l, ns) occurred. The PR interval showed a triphasic pattern following occlusion. Initially, and simultaneously with the onset of the RR interval lengthening, a prolongation of the PR interval occurred (P < 0.01) with a peak value after 41 +/- 3 s after occlusion. Following this transient prolongation, the PR interval shortened concurrently with a maximum lengthening of the RR interval (P < 0.001) 2 +/- 3 s after the end of the occlusion. A maximum PR shortening (P < 0.001) occurred 27 +/- 5 s after occlusion followed by a prolongation of the PR interval (P < 0.001) with a peak value 203 +/- 21 s after release of the occlusion.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Widmark
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Lindecrantz
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murray
authors.forename: K G
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Rosén
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005311:Fetal Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005333:Fetus / Q000502:physiology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012756:Sheep