Pulmonary vascular resistance in adult rats exposed to hypoxia in the neonatal period.

Newborn rats were exposed to hypoxia (10% O2 + N2) from 24 h to day 6 of neonatal life and then returned to room air until 45 days of age (experimental). The rats were anaesthetized, heparinized, and exsanguinated. The chest was opened and the lungs were perfused with diluted autologous blood at a constant flow rate (Q). The pulmonary arterial pressure (Pa) and venous pressure (Pv) were monitored. The properties of the pulmonary vasculature were assessed by measuring baseline vascular resistance, PVR = (Pa-Pv)/Q, segmental pressure gradients (double occlusion technique), pressure-flow relationship, hypoxic pressor response (HPR, 3% O2), and the response to 0.5 microgram bolus of angiotensin II (AII). These were compared with similar measurements on age-matched control animals never exposed to hypoxia. The perfusate hematocrit and gases were not significantly different between the two groups. The PVR normalized to body weight was 30% higher in the experimental groups (p less than 0.005). The double occlusion results (obtained at a flow rate of 13 mL/min) revealed that this increase in resistance was primarily due to the increase in the postcapillary resistance. HPR was primarily in the upstream segment in both groups but was larger in the experimental group. In contrast, the response to AII occurred in both the upstream as well as in the downstream vascular segments and did not differ between the two groups. We conclude that adult rats exposed to hypoxia in the neonatal period have elevated pulmonary vascular resistance and increased vascular reactivity to hypoxia.