Autoregulation in the developing postnatal intestinal circulation.

The relationships among perfusion pressure, blood flow, and oxygen uptake were determined in in vitro ileal loops from 3- and 35-day-old swine. Arterial perfusion of the ileal loops was achieved using a reservoir perfusion apparatus that allowed direct manipulation of perfusion pressure. The hematocrit, partial pressure of oxygen, and partial pressure of carbon dioxide of the blood used to perfuse the gut loops were standardized. During steady-state perfusion at an arterial pressure of 100 mmHg and venous pressure of 0 mmHg, ileal loops from 3-day-old swine demonstrated a higher blood flow (55 vs. 27 ml.min-1.100 g-1, 3 vs. 35 day old) and lower arteriovenous oxygen content difference (3.5 vs. 6.6 ml O2/dl). Oxygen uptake was not statistically different between groups (1.99 vs. 1.76 ml O2.min-1.100 g-1). During perfusion pressure reduction from 150 to 25 mmHg (in successive decrements of 25 mmHg), pressure-flow autoregulation was present in ileal loops from 35-day-old swine but not in ileal loops from 3-day-old swine. Similarly, tissue oxygen uptake was more effectively maintained in ileal loops from older swine during perfusion pressure reductions. We speculate that the efficacy of intrinsic regulation of intestinal hemodynamics and oxygenation is dependent, in part, on postnatal age.