Relationship of deranged energy metabolism in liver and kidney to arterial ketone body ratio following liver ischemia in rats.

Changes in energy metabolism in the liver and kidney in liver ischemia induced in rats were simultaneously studied, in terms of energy charge (EC) and mitochondrial oxidoreduction state. Mean arterial blood pressure, glucose and lactate, total ketone bodies (acetoacetate + beta-hydroxybutyrate) and the ketone body ratio in arterial blood (KBR) were also investigated. During and after liver ischemia, both organs showed similar patterns of reversibility, and KBR, which reflects the mitochondrial oxidoreduction state, correlated well with EC, in both organs. Referring to the mortality and changes in substrates above mentioned, KBR is a pertinent parameter for detection of viability following induced liver ischemia. It was also suggested that KBR may indicate a regulating role by the liver, in kidney energy metabolism.