Cardiac afferents and the renal response to positive pressure ventilation in the dog

The effects of cardiac denervation on renal function during spontaneous breathing (SB) and controlled mechanical ventilation (CMV) were investigated in six mongrel dogs. Selective and reversible blockade of cardiac afferents was achieved by instillation of procaine 2% into the pericardium. Application of procaine 2% into the pericardium during SB caused a statistically significant depression of urine flow (-55%), of sodium (-64%) and potassium excretion (-42%), and of inulin (-21%) and PAH-clearance (-30%). After institution of CMV with a positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 10 cm H2O a further, statistically significant decrease in urine flow (-42%) and sodium excretion (-70%) and of the inulin (-15%) and PAH-clearance (-38%) was observed. Global hemodynamics, mean arterial pressure (MAP), central venous pressure (CVP), mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) and cardiac index (CI) did not change significantly after installing procaine 2% into the pericardium during SB. After institution of CMV an increase in CVP and MPAP occurred whereas MAP and CI remained unchanged. During the following periods of spontaneous breathing first with blockade of cardiac afferents and later after washing out the procaine with NaCl 0.9% all parameters of renal function approached control levels as measured in the first period of spontaneous breathing without cardiac denervation.