Relationship of hydraulic impedance and elasticity in the pulmonary artery of maturing newborn pigs.

The current study determined the dynamic stress-strain elastic moduli (E(Y)) and characteristic impedances (Z(0(2-7Hz))) of the main pulmonary artery in open-chest, anesthetized newborn pigs at 2 days, 2 weeks, and 3 months of age. E(Y) and Z(0(2-7Hz)) were compared to those values derived from the Womersley and Moens-Korteweg equations (denoted E(W-MK) and Z(0W-MK), respectively) to test the validity of these equations in describing the elasticity of the intact newborn pulmonary artery. E(Y) was defined as the ratio of stress to strain. The current study hypothesized that: (1) E(Y) and E(W-MK) are numerically similar, and therefore the Womersley and Moens-Korteweg equations accurately describe the viscoelastic properties of the main pulmonary artery of the newborn pig, and (2) that both E(Y) and Z(0) are elevated at birth and undergo a steady decline with maturation. E(Y) was not significantly different from E(W-MK), while Z(0(2-7Hz)) was nearly identical to Z(0W-MK) in all groups. The elastic modulus peaked (P < 0.001) in 2-week-old pigs compared with both younger and older animals, while Z(0(2-7Hz)) decreased with increasing age (48 h = 1237 +/- 251 [SEM] dyn s cm(-5), 2-week = 433 +/- 95 dyn s cm(-5), 3 month = 162 +/- 17 dyn s cm(-5), P < 0.001). These experiments validate the Womersley and Moens-Korteweg equations as accurately describing the elastic properties of the intact newborn pig pulmonary artery. These data also demonstrate that a diminution in Z(0) may occur even with increased wall stiffness, as observed in our 2-week-old pigs. Copyright 2001 Academic Press.