[Sodium efflux through lymphocytic cell membranes in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency]

Disturbances of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity in patients with respiratory insufficiency may cause the hypertonia of non-striated muscles, which leads to increased peripheral resistance or bronchoconstriction, and also may inhibit the uptake of catecholamines and therefore may intensify their action on the respiratory and circulatory systems. All this is very harmful in respiratory insufficiency. The aim of the study was the examination if there are any changes in sodium efflux through lymphocytic cell membrane in patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency and if retraction of insufficiency can influence the activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase. The study was performed in 40 patients with chronic respiratory insufficiency, of these 11 were women aged from 58 to 72 years and 29 were men aged from 62 to 77 years. Control group consisted of 31 healthy persons, of these 9 were women aged from 37 to 55 and 22 years were men aged from 21 to 60 years. In the study we included patients with exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Blood samples were obtained during the exacerbation of COPD and after partial improvement. We determined arterial blood gases and rates of total, ouabain-sensitive and furosemide-sensitive sodium efflux through lymphocytic cell membrane in venous blood. The rates of sodium efflux were estimated with the method described by Haegerty et al. In the study we showed that in patients with exacerbation of COPD rates of total and ouabain-sensitive sodium efflux through lymphocytic cell membrane were decreased, but after improvement of the disease these rates normalized. In patients with exacerbation of COPD rates of furosemide-sensitive sodium efflux were normal. Disturbances of activity of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase in patients with exacerbation of chronic pulmonary insufficiency are due to hypoxia.