Relation between intestinal blood flow and oxygen uptake.

In autoperfused and pump-perfused preparations of canine ileum, arterial pressure, venous outflow pressure, blood flow, and arteriovenous oxygen difference were measured while blood flow was altered either mechanically or by graded intra-arterial infusions of isoproterenol, adenosine, or 2,4-dinitrophenol. In pump-perfused preparations, mechanical alterations in blood flow resulted in opposite changes in arteriovenous oxygen difference, so that ileal oxygen uptake was independent of blood flow over the range of 30-140 ml.min-1.100 g-1. Only at flow rates below 30 ml.min-1.100 g-1 was oxygen uptake dependent on blood flow. Isoproterenol, adenosine, and dinitrophenol produced dose-dependent increases in blood flow under free-flow conditions and decreases in perfusion pressure under constant-flow conditions. Ileal oxygen uptake was not affected by isoproterenol, decreased by adenosine, and increased by dinitrophenol. The effects of these drugs on intestinal oxygen uptake are in accord with their effects on oxygen consumption in vitro. These results suggest that vasodilators will not alter intestinal oxygen uptake in autoperfused preparations in which oxygen uptake is independent of blood flow, unless they exert an effect on oxidative metabolism.