title: Intramucosal-arterial Pco2 gradient does not reflect intestinal dysoxia in anemic hypoxia.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  An increase in intramucosal-arterial Pco2 gradient (DeltaPco2) might be caused by tissue hypoxia or by diminished blood flow. Our hypothesis was that DeltaPco2 should not be altered in anemic hypoxia with preserved blood flow.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 18 anesthetized, mechanically ventilated sheep, oxygen transport was stepwise reduced by hemorrhage (hypovolemia, n = 9) or by hemorrhage and simultaneous dextran infusion (hemodilution, n = 9).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypovolemia and hemodilution produced comparable decreases in systemic and intestinal oxygen transport and uptake. However, mixed venoarterial and mesenteric venoarterial Pco2 gradients and DeltaPco2 were significantly higher in hypovolemia than in hemodilution (25 +/- 5 vs. 10 +/- 2 mm Hg; 21 +/- 6 vs. 10 +/- 5 mm Hg; and 41 +/- 18 vs. 14 +/- 9 mm Hg, respectively; p < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  DeltaPco2 did not reflect intestinal dysoxia during Vo2/Do2 dependency attributable to hemodilution. Blood flow seems to be the main determinant of DeltaPco2.
authors.affiliation: Cátedra de Farmacología, Facultad de Ciencias Médicas, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, La Plata, Argentina. arnaldodubin@speedy.com.ar
authors.forename: Arnaldo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dubin
authors.forename: Elisa
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Estenssoro
authors.forename: Gastón
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Murias
authors.forename: Mario O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Pozo
authors.forename: Juan P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sottile
authors.forename: Marcelo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barán
authors.forename: Enrique
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piacentini
authors.forename: Héctor S
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Canales
authors.forename: Graciela
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Etcheverry
mesh_terms: D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000740:Anemia / Q000150:complications*; D000818:Animals; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood*; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000378:metabolism*; D006438:Hemodilution; D020896:Hypovolemia / Q000503:physiopathology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis; D008365:Manometry; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D012756:Sheep; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide