Segmental pulmonary vascular resistances during oleic acid lung injury in rabbits.

We studied in isolated rabbit lungs the effects of oleic acid (OA) injury on the segmental distribution of vascular resistance. Vascular occlusion pressures were measured in control and OA-injured preparations over 90 min. Capillary filtration coefficient KF,C increased from 0.61 (+/- 0.10) to 0.91 (+/- 0.14) g.min-1.mmHg-1.(100 g)-1 in OA-injured lungs whereas it remained constant in control lungs. Total pulmonary vascular resistance changed little in both control and OA-injured lungs. OA injury resulted in a 15% increase of the double occlusion capillary pressure. In addition, the contribution of the microvascular to the total vascular resistance rose from 8% to 22%. The increase in microvascular resistance was significant 15 min after OA on the arteriolar side and became significant 30 min later on the venular side. Oleic acid injury does not change the total pulmonary vascular resistance but alters the distribution of segmental resistances in the isolated rabbit lung, thereby contributing to the accumulation of lung water in this model of low pressure permeability edema.