Plasma hypoxanthine levels in pigs during acute hypoxemia. A correlation between lactate and base deficit concentrations.

Tissue hypoxia was induced in pigs by artificial ventilation with 6% O2 in N2 for 18 min. Base deficit, lactate and hypoxanthine increased linearily during this period, and were significantly higher than initial values in the course of 6 min of hypoxemia. High correlation coefficients between hypoxanthine and lactate (mean 0.98) and between hypoxanthine and base deficit (mean 0.98) were found. During the recovery period when the animals were ventilated with air, high correlation coefficients between lactate and hypoxanthine (mean 0.75) and between base deficit and hypoxanthine (mean 0.83) were also found. It is concluded that plasma hypoxanthine concentrations should be used to assess tissue hypoxia also in clinical situations.