title: Effects of drag-reducing polymers on microcirculation of normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To observe the effects of polyethylene oxide (PEO) on microcirculation of normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixteen male Wistar rats were anesthetized and equally and randomly divided into PEO group (administered with 10 ppm PEO solution) and control group (administered with equal volume of normal saline). The PEO solution or saline was separately injected through the caudal vein at a constant rate of 5 ml/h for 20 minutes. Using short axis view at right mid thigh region, contrast-enhanced ultrasonography was performed before and after the administration of solution. Electrocardiogram, blood pressure, and central venous pressure were also monitored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the PEO group, after the administration of PEO, microcirculation capillary volume increased from (20.78±2.63) dB to (22.40±1.94) dB (P=0.023), red blood cell velocity from (0.27±0.08) s-1 to (0.35±0.13) s-1(P=0.010), and capillary blood flow from (5.65±1.81) dB/s to (7.91±3.28) dB/s (P=0.013). In the control group, there were no significant changes in microcirculation capillary volume, red blood cell velocity, and capillary blood flow (all Pþ0.05) after the injection of normal saline. The changes of heart rates, blood pressures and central venous pressure were not significant after the administration of either PEO or saline (all Pþ0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PEO can remarkably increase capillary volume, red blood cell velocity, and capillary blood flow in normal rat hindlimb skeletal muscle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Nanfang Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510515, China.
authors.forename: Hu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Cha
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dao-gang
authors.forename: Chen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Xiang-hui
authors.forename: D U
authors.initials: DU
authors.lastname: Rong-sheng
authors.forename: Zhou
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Bing-jie
authors.forename: Liu
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yi-li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D006614:Hindlimb / Q000098:blood supply*; D008297:Male; D008833:Microcirculation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply*; D011092:Polyethylene Glycols / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
chemical_list: D011092:Polyethylene Glycols