Ventral medullary extracellular fluid pH and PCO2 during hypoxemia.

We designed experiments to study changes in ventral medullary extracellular fluid (ECF) PCO2 and pH during hypoxemia. Measurements were made in chloralose-urethan-anesthetized spontaneously breathing cats (n = 12) with peripherial chemodenervation. Steady-state measurements were made during normoxemia [arterial PO2 (PaO2) = 106 Torr], hypoxemia (PaO2 = 46 Torr), and recovery (PaO2 = 105 Torr), with relatively constant arterial PCO2 (approximately 44 Torr). Mean values of ventilation were 945, 683, and 1,037 ml/min during normoxemia, hypoxemia, and recovery from hypoxemia, respectively. Ventilatory depression occurred in each cat during hypoxemia. Mean values of medullary ECF PCO2 were 57.7 +/- 7.2 (SD), 59.4 +/- 9.7, and 57.4 +/- 7.2 Torr during normoxemia, hypoxemia, and recovery to normoxemia, respectively; respective values for ECF [H+] were 60.9 +/- 8.0, 64.4 +/- 11.6, and 62.9 +/- 9.2 neq/l. Mean values of calculated ECF [HCO3-] were 22.8 +/- 3.0, 21.7 +/- 3.3, and 21.4 +/- 3.1 meq/l during normoxemia, hypoxemia, and recovery, respectively. Changes in medullary ECF PCO2 and [H+] were not statistically significant. Therefore hypoxemia caused ventilatory depression independent of changes in ECF acid-base variables. Furthermore, on return to normoxemia, ventilation rose considerably, still independent of changes in ECF PCO2, [H+], and [HCO3-].