Prenatal nicotine exposure transiently alters the lung mechanical response to hypoxia in young lambs.
To test the hypothesis that fetal nicotine exposure alters the lung mechanical response to hypoxia (10% O(2)) 10 lambs were exposed during the last fetal trimester to a low dose nicotine (LN) and 10 to a moderate dose (MN) (maternal dose 0.5 and 1.5mg/(kgday) free base, respectively). There were 10 controls (C). At 12 days, minute ventilation increased significantly less in MN compared with LN but not with C. In contrast to C and LN, MN did not show anticipated increases in dynamic compliance, specific compliance and FRC or decrease in lung resistance but had signs of airway hyperreactivity during hypoxia. Nicotine exposure did not alter the cardiovascular response. These adverse effects decreased with advancing age. In summary, prenatal nicotine exposure alters the lung mechanical response to hypoxia. We speculate that prenatal nicotine-induced alterations of lung mechanics during hypoxia may contribute to an increased vulnerability to hypoxic stress during infancy.
Sandberg
Kenneth L
KL
Department of Women and Child Health, Göteborg University, SE-416 85 Göteborg, Sweden.
Poole
Stanley D
SD
Hamdan
Ashraf
A
Minton
Patricia A
PA
Sundell
Håkan W
HW
D000208:Acute Disease; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology; D000403:Airway Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005652:Functional Residual Capacity; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008170:Lung Compliance / Q000502:physiology; D008176:Lung Volume Measurements; D009538:Nicotine / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018722:Nicotinic Agonists / Q000097:blood / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011297:Prenatal Exposure Delayed Effects; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000187:drug effects*; D012756:Sheep
D018722:Nicotinic Agonists; D009538:Nicotine