title: A physical-chemical analysis of the acid-base response to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
abstract: The metabolic contributions to chronic acid-base changes were examined in the plasma of arterial blood in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and chronic hypercapnia, by a quantitative physical-chemical analysis. Patients were stratified into three groups: group 1 (Paco2 less than 40 mmHg; 1 mmHg = 133.3 Pa), group 2 (Paco2 between 40 and 50 mmHg), and group 3 (Paco2 higher than 50 mmHg). With the development of hypercapnia (Paco2 from 38.2 +/- 1.6 to 53.8 +/- 0.6 mmHg) and hypoxemia (Pao2 from 73.6 +/- 2.5 to 62.1 +/- 2.1 mmHg), blood pH decreased slightly (from 7.405 +/- 0.007 to 7.372 +/- 0.009). The strong ion difference ([SID]) increased in the hypercapnic group (from 39.7 +/- 1.7 to 46.2 +/- 2.9 mequiv.L-1) parallel to the increase in [HCO3-] (from 23.8 +/- 0.5 to 30.8 +/- 0.8 mequiv.L-1). The change in [SID] was quantitatively similar to the [HCO3-] change, thus reflecting a metabolic compensation of chronic respiratory acidosis. [SID] increase was mainly accounted for by changes in the [Na+]/[Cl-] ratio due to a significant decrease in plasma [Cl-]. Other ions measured as well as the weak acid buffers ([ATOT]) remained constant. From the present results, we suggest the usefulness of the physical chemical approach in the characterization of acid-base disturbances due to chronic hypercapnia when water retention or protein depletion are expected further to hypochloremia, as can be the case in severe COPD patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Alfaro
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Torras
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ibáñez
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Palacios
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000502:physiology*; D000368:Aged; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology; D008173:Lung Diseases, Obstructive / Q000097:blood / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D001639:Bicarbonates; D004573:Electrolytes; D002245:Carbon Dioxide