title: Airway blood flow distribution and lung edema after histamine infusion in awake sheep.
abstract: The present study was designed to evaluate the distribution of bronchial blood flow to major airways and peripheral lung and to quantitate lung edema during a 2-h histamine infusion (2 micrograms.kg-1.min-1) in unanesthetized sheep. By the use of radioactive microspheres, the blood flow to trachea and to tracheal cartilage, smooth muscle, and mucosa/submucosa was determined along with measurements of blood flow to different sized airway segments and the systemic blood flow to lung parenchyma. Histamine greatly increased blood flow to medium-sized (5- to 10-mm-diam) central airways in which blood flow increased 5-10 times base line, whereas in small (1- to 5-mm-diam) central airways the increase was 10-15 times. Blood flow in tracheal mucosa/submucosa increased six times base line, but in tracheal smooth muscle the increase was only three times base line, and in cartilage it remained at base line. Most of the systemic blood flow to the lung perfuses less than 1-mm-diam peripheral airways, and these airways demonstrated less vasodilation during histamine infusion. Mean blood flow to whole-lung parenchyma (whole lung minus trachea) was only two times base line during histamine infusion. Water content of trachea and main stem bronchi was significantly increased after histamine. Histopathologic findings after histamine infusions included congestion and edema of airways with only minor effects noted in alveoli. We conclude that histamine is a potent and selective vasodilator of bronchial vessels and particularly affects blood flow to central airways and to airway mucosal/submucosa.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Human Physiology, School of Medicine, University of California, Davis 95616.
authors.forename: G C
authors.initials: GC
authors.lastname: Kramer
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Lindsey
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Mertens
authors.forename: L A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Russell
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Cross
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001980:Bronchi / Q000098:blood supply; D002302:Cardiac Output; D005260:Female; D006632:Histamine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply; D009092:Mucous Membrane / Q000098:blood supply; D011654:Pulmonary Edema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D012137:Respiratory System / Q000098:blood supply*; D012756:Sheep; D014132:Trachea / Q000098:blood supply
chemical_list: D006632:Histamine