Tonometry to estimate intestinal perfusion in newborn piglets.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the correlation between gastric intramucosal pH and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) flow in newborn piglets.


METHODS
Fourteen newborn piglets were randomly assigned to either a control or to an epinephrine group which received 0,1,2,4,0 microg/kg/min of epinephrine for 60 minutes, each dose. Gastric tonometry was performed, SMA flow was measured, and intramucosal pH and the ratio of tonometer pCO(2) over arterial pCO(2) (rCO(2)) were calculated.


RESULTS
Intramucosal pH decreased over time in both groups, but tended to be lower in the epinephrine group. With increasing dose of epinephrine, SMA flow decreased; this in turn increased rCO(2) (p = 0.04) with a tendency to decrease intramucosal pH (p = 0.06).


CONCLUSIONS
Gastric tonometry may be useful in human neonates to evaluate gut ischaemia.
Campbell
M E
ME
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Children's Health Centre Departments of Pediatrics University of Alberta Edmonton Canada.
Van Aerde
J E
JE
Cheung
P Y
PY
Mayes
D C
DC
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D005745:Gastric Acidity Determination; D005753:Gastric Mucosa / Q000378:metabolism; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration / Q000187:drug effects; D017538:Mesenteric Artery, Superior / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D010313:Partial Pressure; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000187:drug effects; D013552:Swine; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000494:pharmacology
D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D004837:Epinephrine