title: Effect of shifts of the O2 dissociation curve upon alveolar-arterial O2 gradients in computer models of the lung with ventilation-perfusion mismatching.
abstract: The effect of a shift of the blood O2 dissociation curve (ODC) on the alveolar-arterial O2 gradient was studied in computer models of the lung with several degrees of VA/Q inequality during air breathing. A shift to the left decreases and a shift to the right increases not only the mixed-venous but also the arterial PO2. Consequently the alveolar-arterial O2 gradient is larger with a left and smaller with a right shift of the ODC. This effect of a shift of the ODC on the alveolar-arterial O2 gradient is negligible in a healthy lung but becomes quite considerable in a diseased lung with a severe mismatching of VA/Q.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003201:Computers; D006801:Humans; D008433:Mathematics; D008954:Models, Biological; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012119:Respiration; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen