The Wien effect in compensated metabolic acidosis

CSF and blood acid-base values were measured in compensated metabolic acidosis, induced in anesthetized dogs by infusion of dilute HCl during hyperventilation. We observed cerebral blood flow-related steady-state differences in PCO2 between CSF and arterial venous blood from the brain. The steady-state values of CSF-blood PCO2 differences and blood H+ activity were intermediate to those observed by us previously during uncompensated acidosis and alkalosis (J. Appl. Physiol. 34: 249-254, 1973). These results are consistent with predictions of the "charged membrane hypothesis" proposed by us to explain CSF and blood acid-base relationship during uncompensated acid-base derangements (J. Appl. Physiol. 34: 243-248, 1973).