Abstract
The oxygen consumption of resting lambs in from 8 to 13 ml/min/kg during the 1st week of life. Assuming a cardiac output of 300 ml/min/kg and a hemoglobin of 13 g/100 ml, it may be seen that about one-third of the oxygen transport capacity is used at rest. In the present study lambs 2–7 days old were subjected to shivering during hypothermia. The animals were breathing 100% oxygen and were anesthetized with chloralose. Oxygen consumption, dye dilution curves, pressures of the central arteries, and arterial SO2 and acid-base balance values were registered. The oxygen consumption of the lambs increasd to a maximum of 35 ml/min/kg during shivering. Cardiac outputs increased from about 300 ml/min/kg to 500–700 ml/min/kg in the lambs with the highest values of oxygen consumption. The arterial oxygen saturation did not change at the cardiac output values. These results were also observed when the body temperature had been lowered to about 30°. About one-third of the oxygen carried by the arterial blood was extracted by the organism. Decreasing values of standard bicarbonate were often associated with lowered cardiac outputs. Correction of metabolic acidosis increased cardiac outputs but did not influence the oxygen consumptions. It may be concluded that shivering increases the oxygen consumption and cardiac output in the neonatal lambs. Metabolic acidosis conteracts teh cardiac response but does not influence the rate of oxygen consumption.
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Koivikko, A., Länsimies, E. & Klossner, J. 41. Oxygen transport capacity in the neonatal period. Pediatr Res 5, 91–92 (1971). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197102000-00046
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197102000-00046