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Biomedical subjects

E C Rackow

Publications and source records attributed to E C Rackow.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1990

Increases in coronary vein CO2 during cardiac resuscitation.

We investigated the aortic, mixed venous, and great cardiac vein acid-base changes in eight domestic pigs during cardiac arrest produced by ventricular fibrillation and during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). The great cardiac vein PCO2 increased from a control value of 52 +/- 2 to 132 +/- 28 (SD) Torr during CPR, whereas the arterial PCO2 was unchanged (39 +/- 4 vs. 38 +/- 4). The coronary venoarterial PCO2 gradient, therefore, increased remarkably from 13 +/- 2 to 94 +/- 29 Torr. The simultaneously measured great cardiac vein lactate concentrations increased from 0.24 +/- 0.06 to 7.3 +/- 2.34 mmol/l. Much more moderate increases in the lactate content of aortic blood from 0.64 +/- 0.25 to 2.56 +/- 0.27 mmol/l were observed. Increases in great cardiac vein PCO2 and lactate were highly correlated during CPR (r = 0.91). After successful CPR, the coronary venoarterial PCO2 gradient returned to normal levels within 2 min after restoration of spontaneous circulation. Lactate content was rapidly reduced and lactate extraction was reestablished within 30 min after CPR. These studies demonstrate marked but reversible acidosis predominantly as the result of myocardial CO2 production during CPR.

Animals↗
PubMed1990

Buffer agents do not reverse intramyocardial acidosis during cardiac resuscitation.

We investigated the effects of carbon dioxide-producing and carbon dioxide-consuming buffers on intramyocardial pH and on cardiac resuscitability. In 29 pigs, intramyocardial pH was continuously measured with a glass electrode advanced into the midmyocardium of the posterior left ventricle through a diaphragmatic window. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) was electrically induced by alternating current applied to the epicardium of the left ventricle. After 3 minutes of VF, precordial compression was begun and continued for an interval of 8 minutes. Sodium bicarbonate (a carbon dioxide-generating buffer), Carbicarb (a carbon dioxide-consuming buffer), and hypertonic sodium chloride (control solution) were infused into the right atrium during cardiac resuscitation. Defibrillation was attempted by transthoracic direct-current shock after 11 minutes of VF. Intramyocardial pH progressively decreased from an average value of 7.26 before VF to 6.87 before infusion of buffers. Systemic circulation and great cardiac vein pH significantly increased after administration of the two buffer agents. However, intramyocardial pH continued to decline to an average of 6.62 after 11 minutes of VF, and this decline was not altered by either buffer solution or by the saline control. As in previous studies, resuscitability was closely related to coronary perfusion pressure at the time of direct-current countershock but not to pH. Accordingly, the rationale of reversing acidosis by the administration of these buffer agents is not supported. Even more important, neither carbon dioxide-consuming nor carbon dioxide-producing buffers altered myocardial acidosis or improved myocardial resuscitability under controlled experimental conditions of cardiac arrest.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1990

Triage considerations in medical intensive care.

As an initial step toward improving admission criteria to the medical intensive care unit (MICU), we examined Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation scores and the diagnosis-adjusted mortality rates of 2419 medical patients, including those who received MICU consultation over a 6-month period. There was considerable overlap in the physiologic scores and the predicted mortality rates between those patients who were admitted to the MICU and those who were not. There was no discrete score or mortality rate at which triage to the MICU would have included most MICU patients but excluded most patients who survived without admission to the MICU. While uniform MICU admission criteria would be desirable, current scoring systems may not have the desired sensitivity or specificity to establish such criteria. Using a receiver operating characteristic curve, we demonstrated that diagnosis-adjusted mortality rates could predict as well as Acute Physiologic and Chronic Health Evaluation scores which patients would receive MICU admission and intervention. This suggests that, for different diagnoses, specific clinical variables and laboratory tests may have different predictive importance for MICU admission. Prospective models of clinical variables using receiver operating characteristic curves in various medical diseases may improve triage procedures.

Diagnosis-Related Groups↗
PubMed1990

Monophosphoryl lipid A inhibits neutrophil priming by lipopolysaccharide.

It is known that lipopolysaccharides (endotoxin) prime neutrophils for oxygen radical production. Monophosphoryl lipid A is a nontoxic derivative of lipid A that protects against lethal endotoxemia. We examined the effects of Salmonella minnesota monophosphoryl lipid A on S. minnesota lipopolysaccharide-induced priming of neutrophil superoxide anion generation. Human neutrophils were preincubated with and without either lipopolysaccharide or monophosphoryl lipid A before stimulation with 10(-5) formyl-norleucyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. Neutrophil priming reached a plateau at a concentration of 100 ng/ml of lipopolysaccharide, where superoxide anion generation increased from 10.1 +/- 0.8 to 25.2 +/- 1.7 nmol superoxide anions/10(6) neutrophils/10 min (p less than 0.01). In contrast, monophosphoryl lipid A did not exhibit any priming activity. Monophosphoryl lipid A also exhibited a time-dependent inhibitory effect on lipopolysaccharide-induced priming of neutrophils, which was maximal when monophosphoryl lipid A was added 15 minutes before lipopolysaccharide. Preincubation with monophosphoryl lipid A induced a dose-dependent inhibition of neutrophil priming by 1000 ng/ml lipopolysaccharide. Neutrophil superoxide anion generation decreased by 47% from 19.0 +/- 0.6 to 10.0 +/- 0.7 nmol superoxide anions/10(6) neutrophils/10 min by 2000 ng/ml monophosphoryl lipid A (p less than 0.01). These data indicate that monophosphoryl lipid A does not enhance neutrophil superoxide generation in response to formyl-norleucyl-leucyl-phenylalanine. Monophosphoryl lipid A also inhibits lipopolysaccharide-induced priming in a dose-dependent manner that may reflect blocking of lipopolysaccharide by monophosphoryl lipid A at cellular binding sites.

Dose-Response Relationship, Drug↗
PubMed1990

Unmeasured anion during severe sepsis with metabolic acidosis.

It is assumed that the development of metabolic acidosis during sepsis is secondary to lactic acidosis. We assessed the composition of the anion gap during severe sepsis induced by cecal perforation in rats. In the first experiment, cardiac output, arterial blood gases, and arterial lactate were measured over a 6 hr interval in five septic rats and in five rats serving as sham-operated controls. The cardiac output decreased from 331 +/- 32 to 172 +/- 9 ml/kg/min (P less than 0.01) in the septic rats. Although the arterial lactate was increased to 2.1 +/- 0.2 mEq/L in septic rats compared to 0.8 +/- 0.1 mEq/L in sham rats (P less than 0.01), the HCO3- was decreased to 16.5 +/- 0.6 mEq/L in septic rats versus 23.8 +/- 1.10 mEq/L in sham rats (P less than 0.01). We further investigated this bicarbonate deficit in a second study in which arterial blood was sampled at 6 hr for blood gases, and plasma Na+, K+, Cl-, HCO3-, lactate, pyruvate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, citrate, creatinine, albumin, and amino acids in five septic and five sham rats. The serum anion gap was calculated as [(Na(+) + K+) - (Cl(-) + HCO3-)]. The anion gap was 21.6 +/- 1.6 mEq/L in the septic animals as compared to 13.2 +/- 0.5 mEq/L in the sham animals (P less than 0.01). There were no differences in the concentration of pyruvate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, acetoacetate, citrate, creatinine, albumin, or amino acids.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Acid-Base Equilibrium↗
PubMed1990

Physiology of blood flow and oxygen utilization by peripheral tissue in circulatory shock.

The primary defect that characterizes circulatory shock is acute perfusion failure, in which oxygen metabolism is critically impaired by decreased delivery of oxygen to tissues. Four categories of hemodynamic deficits are described as the basic mechanisms of circulatory shock: hypovolemia, cardiac failure, distributive deficits, and vascular obstruction. Perfusion failure can be identified by the development of lactic acidosis, because anaerobic metabolism is the consequence of the oxygen deficit during circulatory failure. Lactic acidosis at present represents the best single objective measure of the severity of shock.

Blood Flow Velocity↗
PubMed1989

End tidal carbon dioxide as an haemodynamic determinant of cardiopulmonary resuscitation in the rat.

End tidal PCO2 (PETCO2) has been found to be a good prognostic indicator of successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest. To explore the value of this measurement further, we carried out a series of experiments during cardiac arrest and closed chest resuscitation in 14 mechanically ventilated Sprague-Dawley rats. Ventricular fibrillation (VF) was induced by a 10 mA current delivered to the right ventricular endocardium. After 4 min of VF, precordial compression was begun with a mechanical thumper and defibrillation was attempted 2 min later. PETCO2 decreased abruptly during cardiac arrest to 0.3 mm Hg (0.04 kPa). With precordial compression, it increased to 11 mm Hg (1.5 kPa). Within 3 min of successful defibrillation, there was an overshoot in the PETCO2 to 44 mm Hg (5.8 kPa) with return to baseline levels approximating those of the pre-arrest control measurements over the 60 min that followed restoration of spontaneous circulation. The PETCO2 measurement during precordial compression predicted the success of defibrillation with return of spontaneous circulation. When PETCO2 exceeded 9 mm Hg (1.2 kpA), 7 of 8 animals were successfully resuscitated. When PETCO2 was less than 9 mm Hg during precordial compression, none of six animals were successfully resuscitated. The PETCO2 correlated with the mean aortic (r = 0.71) and coronary perfusion pressure (r = 0.80) generated during precordial compression. In corroboration of previously reported observations on pigs, dogs, and human patients, PETCO2 served as a non-invasive monitor of the effectiveness of precordial compression for maintaining coronary perfusion and therefore cardiac viability during CPR. The PETCO2 was also useful in that it promptly signalled restoration of spontaneous circulation.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Arterial PCO2 as an indicator of systemic perfusion during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

End-tidal PCO2 (PetCO2) is a quantitative indicator of pulmonary blood flow generated by precordial compression and therefore predicts resuscitability during CPR. A striking increase in PetCO2 follows return of spontaneous circulation. Since PaCO2 is closely related to alveolar PCO2 (PACO2) and therefore PetCO2, we hypothesized that PaCO2 may itself serve as an indicator of the blood flow generated during CPR. In a porcine model of cardiac arrest, PaCO2 during precordial compression was highly correlated with PetCO2 (r = .89), cardiac output (r = .72), and coronary perfusion pressure (CPP) (r = .74). In 14 successfully resuscitated animals, PaCO2, PetCO2, and CPP during precordial compression were significantly higher than in nine nonresuscitated animals. After restoration of spontaneous circulation, there was a marked increase in PaCO2 to levels exceeding control values, which corresponded to the sharp increase in PetCO2 that is characteristic of successful resuscitation. We therefore confirm that both PetCO2 and PaCO2 correspond to the pulmonary blood flow and therefore cardiac output which is generated by precordial compression during CPR. Moreover, both serve as prognosticators of cardiac resuscitability and early indicators that spontaneous circulation has been restored.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Effects of pentastarch and albumin infusion on cardiorespiratory function and coagulation in patients with severe sepsis and systemic hypoperfusion.

Twenty consecutive patients with severe sepsis were randomized to fluid challenge with 5% albumin or 10% low MW hydroxyethyl starch (pentastarch) solutions. Fluid challenge was administered iv as 250 ml of test colloid every 15 min until the pulmonary artery wedge pressure (WP) was greater than or equal to 15 mm Hg or a maximum dose of 2000 ml was infused. Hemodynamic, respiratory, and coagulation profiles were measured before and after fluid infusion. The amount of colloid required to achieve a WP of 15 mm Hg was comparable between groups. Both colloid infusions resulted in similar increases in cardiac output, stroke output, and stroke work. The effect of fluid infusion with pentastarch on coagulation was not significantly different from albumin, although pentastarch was associated with a 45% decrease in factor VIII:c. We conclude that pentastarch is equivalent to albumin for fluid resuscitation of patients with severe sepsis.

Adult↗
PubMed1989

Prolongation of the half-life of lactate after maximal exercise in patients with hepatic dysfunction.

Decreased hepatic clearance of exogenous sodium lactate has previously been demonstrated in patients with hepatic dysfunction. The purpose of this study was to obtain a more precise understanding of the rate of metabolic normalization or decrease of endogenously produced lactate in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. The differential kinetics of lactate metabolism are of clinical interest. Male volunteer patients with hepatic cirrhosis (n = 7), who had survived acute hospitalization, were compared to healthy age-matched males with normal liver function (n = 7). After arterial cannulation, bicycle ergometry was performed at a workload of 25 watts (W); the load was increased by increments of 25 W at 2-min intervals to maximum aerobic capacity. Lactate was measured in arterial blood before, at 4-min intervals during, and on a minimum of 11 occasions in the 30 to 70 min after exercise. The time interval during which lactate declined linearly to half its maximal concentration (Lt50) was graphically computed. The Lt50 was 34.8 +/- 4.5 min (mean +/- SEM) in the experimental group and 14.1 +/- 1.3 min in the control subjects (p less than .005). Lactate disappears from the bloodstream almost three times more slowly in patients with hepatic cirrhosis. The implication for interpretation of changes in lactate during circulatory shock in the presence of liver dysfunction is addressed.

Half-Life↗
PubMed1989

Myocardial potassium uptake during experimental cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Changes in myocardial K+ handling were examined during ventricular fibrillation and subsequent CPR in ten domestic swine. During ventricular fibrillation, there was initial K+ efflux from the myocardium which was followed by myocardial K+ uptake during precordial compression. After successful defibrillation, a washout in K+ was observed. Coronary potassium clearance was inversely related to the myocardial [H+], PCO2, and lactate production. A negative correlation between cardiac vein [K+] and myocardial [H+] was observed (r = .88), supporting the concept that H+ extrusion is associated with K+ uptake of myocardial cells. Normal conditions were re-established within 60 min after restoration of spontaneous circulation. The myocardial uptake of K+ during CPR contrasted with increased K+ efflux from other tissues such that there were net increases in the K+ content of arterial and mixed venous blood. The implications of such myocardial K+ uptake during CPR on resuscitability is the subject of continuing study.

Animals↗
PubMed1989

Myocardial acidosis associated with CO2 production during cardiac arrest and resuscitation.

Previous studies from our institution demonstrated significant hypercarbic acidosis in the mixed venous (pulmonary artery) blood in animals and human patients during cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). In the present study, the acid-base state of the myocardium during cardiac arrest was investigated. Cardiac arrest was electrically induced in 11 pentobarbital-anesthetized and mechanically ventilated domestic pigs. Precordial compression was begun 3 minutes after onset of ventricular fibrillation and continued for 8 minutes. During CPR, there was rapid onset of profound myocardial acidosis with an increase in intramyocardial [H+] from 54 +/- 5 to 146 +/- 20 nmol/l (7.27 +/- 0.04 to 6.88 +/- 0.20 pH units). Great cardiac vein PCO2 increased from 57 +/- 2 to 158 +/- 12 mm Hg. Profound hypercarbic acidosis in great cardiac vein blood was associated with myocardial lactate production to levels of 8.1 +/- 0.7 mmol/l. Only moderate decreases in cardiac vein bicarbonate concentrations from 31 +/- 1 to 23 +/- 1 mmol/l were observed. These acid-base changes were almost completely reversed over an interval of 60 minutes after the animals were successfully resuscitated by DC countershock. The PCO2 in cardiac vein blood was significantly greater than that of mixed venous blood, demonstrating disproportionate myocardial production of CO2 during CPR. Accordingly, it is CO2 production during ischemia that is implicated as the predominant mechanism accounting for myocardial [H+] increases during cardiac arrest. Important clinical implications for buffer therapy during CPR and, in particular, treatment with bicarbonate emerge from these observations.

Acidosis↗
PubMed1989

Inotropic response to digoxin and dopamine in patients with severe sepsis, cardiac failure, and systemic hypoperfusion.

We studied the inotropic response to dopamine and digoxin in 20 patients with severe sepsis and left ventricular failure. Left ventricular failure was defined as a left ventricular stroke work index less than or equal to 40 g.m/m2 at a pulmonary artery wedge pressure greater than or equal to 15 mm Hg. Hemodynamic assessment was obtained before and following administration of digoxin 10 micrograms/kg IV or dopamine, 5 to 12 micrograms/kg/min IV. Patients treated with digoxin demonstrated a significant increase in LVSWI. The LVSWI increased 13 +/- 10 percent in the dopamine-treated patients compared with 74 +/- 16 percent in the digoxin patients (p less than 0.02). We conclude that digoxin exhibited significant inotropic activity in patients with sepsis.

Aged↗
PubMed1989

Mechanism of blood flow generated by precordial compression during CPR. I. Studies on closed chest precordial compression.

The mechanism of forward flow produced by precordial compression during CPR was investigated with the aid of echocardiographic and hemodynamic measurements in anesthetized, mechanically ventilated domestic pigs. Both mitral and tricuspid valves opened during compression diastole and closed during compression systole. Valve motion persisted throughout resuscitation in 17 of 22 animals which were hemodynamically resuscitated. There was a 25 percent reduction in left ventricular area during compression systole. Maximum pressure generated during compression systole in the aorta exceeded that of the right atrium throughout the 12-min interval of precordial compression in successfully resuscitated animals. These observations provide evidence of direct cardiac compression as the mechanism accounting for effective forward blood flow during CPR. The persistence of valve function, chamber compression, and pressure gradients during precordial compression was predictive of successful resuscitation. The absence of these factors prognosticates failure of resuscitation and explains, in part, the inconsistency of prior reports.

Adult↗