Cyclic PaO(2) oscillations assessed in the renal microcirculation: correlation with tidal volume in a porcine model of lung lavage

BACKGROUND: Oscillations of the arterial partial pressure of oxygen induced by varying shunt fractions occur during cyclic alveolar recruitment within the injured lung. Recently, these were proposed as a pathomechanism that may be relevant for remote organ injury following acute respiratory distress syndrome. This study examines the transmission of oxygen oscillations to the renal tissue and their tidal volume dependency. METHODS: Lung injury was induced by repetitive bronchoalveolar lavage in eight anaesthetized pigs. Cyclic alveolar recruitment was provoked by high tidal volume ventilation. Oscillations of the arterial partial pressure of oxygen were measured in real-time in the macrocirculation by multi-frequency phase fluorimetry and in the renal microcirculation by combined white-light spectrometry and laser-Doppler flowmetry during tidal volume down-titration. RESULTS: Significant respiratory-dependent oxygen oscillations were detected in the macrocirculation and transmitted to the renal microcirculation in a substantial extent. The amplitudes of these oscillations significantly correlate to the applied tidal volume and are minimized during down-titration. CONCLUSIONS: In a porcine model oscillations of the arterial partial pressure of oxygen are induced by cyclic alveolar recruitment and transmitted to the renal microcirculation in a tidal volume-dependent fashion. They might play a role in organ crosstalk and remote organ damage following lung injury.