Effect of an increase in HbO2 affinity on the calculated capillary recruitment of an isolated rat heart.

The effect of an increase in hemoglobin O2 affinity on myocardial O2 delivery was studied in a blood perfused working rat heart preparation. In a first series of experiments P50 (PO2 for which saturation is 50%) was lowered by use of carbon monoxide. The heart was alternatively perfused with the blood sample of P50 = 32 mm Hg and the blood sample of P50 = 17 mm Hg. O2 capacity of both samples was kept the same by appropriate hemodilution. In a second serie of experiments change of P50 was obtained by the use of adult human erythrocytes containing hemoglobin creteil with a P50 of 13.6 mm Hg. As P50 decreased from 25 to 10 mm Hg, coronary sinus PO2 (PcsO2) diminished from 26 +/- 2 to 18 +/- 2 mm Hg (-29 +/- 2%), coronary sinus O2 content (CcsO2) increased by 15 +/- 3%, myocardial oxygen consumption did not change significantly. The percentage of increase of coronary flow was 23 +/- 4%. Analysis of these results with a simple mathematical model of O2 delivery suggest that increase in HbO2 affinity is corrected by a simultaneous increase in coronary flow and capillary recruitment.