Cardiovascular Parameters in a Swine Model of Normobaric Hypoxia Treated With 5-Hydroxymethyl-2-Furfural (5-HMF)

The consequences of low partial pressure of O₂ include low arterial O₂ saturations (SaO₂), low blood O₂ content (CaO₂), elevated mean pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), and decreased O₂ consumption VO₂. 5-hydroxymethyl-2-furfural (5-HMF) binds to the N-terminal valine of hemoglobin (HgB) and increases its affinity to O₂. We used an instrumented, sedated swine model to study the effect of 5-HMF on cardiovascular parameters during exposure to acute normobaric hypoxia (NH).

Twenty-three sedated and instrumented swine were randomly assigned to one of three treatment groups and received equal volume of normal saline (VEH), 20 mg/kg 5-HMF (5-HMF-20) or 40 mg/kg 5-HMF (5-HMF-40). Animals then breathed 10% FiO₂ for 120 min. Parameters recorded were Cardiac Output (CO), Mean Arterial Blood Pressure (MAP), Heart Rate (HR), Mean Pulmonary Artery Pressure (PAP), SaO₂ and saturation of mixed venous blood (SvO₂). The P₅₀ was measured at fixed time intervals prior to and during NH.

5-HMF decreased P₅₀. In the first 30 min of NH, treatment with 5-HMF-20 and 5-HMF-40 resulted in a (1) significantly smaller decrement in SaO₂ and SvO₂, (2) significantly lower HR and CO, and (3) smaller increase in PAP compared to VEH. In the 120 min of NH there was a trend toward improved mortality with 5-HMF treatment.

5-HMF treatment decreased P₅₀, improved SaO₂, and mitigated increases in PAP in this swine model of NH.