title: Of mice and men (and sheep, swine etc.): the intriguing hemodynamic and metabolic effects of hydrogen sulfide (H2S).
abstract: Whether the hydrogen sulfide (H2S)-induced metabolic depression observed in awake rodents exists in larger species is controversial. Therefore, Derwall and colleagues exposed anesthetized and ventilated sheep to incremental H2S concentrations by means of an extracorporeal membrane oxygenator. H2S caused pulmonary vasoconstriction and metabolic acidosis at the highest concentration studied. Oxygen uptake and carbon dioxide production remained in the physiological range. The authors concluded that, beyond the effect of temperature, H2S hardly modifies metabolism at all. Since the highest H2S concentration caused toxic side effects (possibly due to an inhibition of mitochondrial respiration), the therapeutic use of inhaled H2S should be cautioned.
authors.affiliation: Sektion Anästhesiologische Pathophysiologie und Verfahrensentwicklung, Klinik für Anästhesiologie, Universitätsklinikum Ulm, Parkstrasse 11, D-89081 Ulm, Germany.
authors.forename: Katja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Georgieff
authors.forename: Pierre
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Asfar
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calzia
authors.forename: Markus W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Knöferl
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Radermacher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D014692:Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio
chemical_list: D006862:Hydrogen Sulfide