title: [Acute effects of low carbon monoxide concentrations on blood rheology, platelet fuction, and the arterial wall in the minipig (author's transl)].
abstract: While investigating the initial effects of low carbon monoxide concentrations on haemorheology and the arterial wall, minipigs were exposed to CO-air mixtures with 160, 185, and 420ppm CO. The daily exposure time was 4h. Exposure to 160 and 185 ppm CO led to a significant increase of platelet aggregation. Four hundred twenty parts per million CO caused an increase in haematocrit, blood and plasma viscosity, and in platelet aggregation. When examined by light microscopy, there were no changes in the arterial wall, whereas scanning electron-microscopic examinations revealed adhesions of shape-changed platelets on the arterial endothelium in some cases already after a single 4-h exposure to 160 or 185 ppm CO. After 4 x 4-h exposures to 420ppm CO there were mixed microthrombi on the arterial endothelium. According to preliminary transmission electron-microscopic studies these adhesions of platelets and also adhesions of mononuclear elements can always be related to foci of degeneration in the endothelial cells. These examinations showed that low concentrations of carbon monoxide can cause both haemorheological and morphological changes in the arterial wall. The further development of these changes under chronic CO exposure and a possible significance of the environmental hygiene beyond cigarette smoking has to be clarified by long-term experiments.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001158:Arteries / Q000187:drug effects*; D001809:Blood Viscosity / Q000187:drug effects*; D002248:Carbon Monoxide / Q000633:toxicity*; D009538:Nicotine / Q000633:toxicity; D010974:Platelet Aggregation / Q000187:drug effects*; D012907:Smoking; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D009538:Nicotine; D002248:Carbon Monoxide
vernacular_title: Akut Wirkungen niedriger Kohlenmonoxidkonzentrationen auf Blutrheologie, Thrombozytenfunktion und Arterienwand beim Miniaturschwein.