Effects of hypoproteinemia and increased vascular pressure on lung fluid balance in sheep

Abstract

We compared the effects of a sustained decrease in plasma oncotic pressure on lung fluid balance with those of an increase in vascular pressure in six unanesthetized sheep. Initial plasma protein concentration of 58.0 +/- 2.2 (SE) mg/ml was quickly reduced to 34.0 +/- 1.4 mg/ml via plasmapheresis and held at this value for 24 h. Red cells were returned with lactated Ringer solution infused at a rate adjusted to maintain central venous pressure; cardiac output and pulmonary vascular pressures also remained at base line. Steady-state lymph flows increased from a base-line value of 8.8 +/- 3.2 to 20.1 +/- 5.6 ml/h, while the lymph-to-plasma protein concentration ratio ( [L/P] ) decreased from 0.65 +/- 0.03 to 0.44 +/- 0.04. Decreased lymph protein resulted in reestablishment of base-line plasma-to-lymph oncotic gradient. The increased lymph flow was not the result of increased filtration forces, since all vascular pressures and the oncotic gradient were unchanged; nor was it due entirely to increased surface area since [L/P] was decreased. The decrease in plasma oncotic pressure, delta pi P, was twice as effective at increasing lymph flow (1.66 ml X h-1 X mmHg-1, delta pi P) as an equivalent increase in microvascular pressure, delta PC, at normal plasma protein concentration (0.82 ml X h-1 X mmHg-1, delta PC). Elevation of microvascular pressure during hypoproteinemia had a greater effect on lymph flow (1.44 ml X h-1 X mmHg-1, delta PC) than at normal plasma protein concentration.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)