Plasma acetate concentrations during canine haemorrhagic shock.

Acetate, pyruvate, lactate and NEFA concentrations, as well as acid-base-parameters were followed during bleeding, stable hypotension and re-infusion in five dogs. Mean arterial blood pressures were kept at 30 mmHg during the shock phase. An increase in acetate concentrations (P less than 0.01) was found in arterial as well as in venous plasma samples. The maximal mean acetate concentration was 0.19 mmol/l (during reinfusion) as compared to 0.06 mmol/l prior to bleeding. There was no difference between arterial and inferior caval venous concentrations. A definite correlation (r = 0.81, P less than 0.02) was found between blood pyruvate and plasma acetate concentrations. There was no correlation between plasma glucose or NEFA and acetate concentrations or between blood excess lactate and plasma acetate. The plasma acetate accumulation was negligible compared to the concomitant lactate accumulation (1:60), and did not contribute to the metabolic acidosis of shock. The correlation between acetate and pyruvate concentrations may indicate that pyruvate is the main substrate of acetate production in hypovolemic shock.