Effects of splenectomy and beta-adrenoceptor blockade on cardiac output response to acute hypoxemia

Acute hypoxemia produced by the inhalation of 8% and 5% oxygen increased cardiac output in intact anesthetized dogs by 38% and 62%, respectively. Although practolol, a cardioselective beta-adrenergic blocking agent, reduced the increase in cardiac output in dogs subjected to severe hypoxemia (5% O(2) breathing) from 62% to 43%, it only slightly reduced the cardiac output rise in dogs subjected to moderate hypoxemia (8% O(2) breathing). Splenectomy, on the other hand, abolished the increase in cardiac output produced by moderate hypoxemia except for a small initial rise, but it reduced the increase in cardiac output during severe hypoxemia only to 37%. The entire increase, except for a small initial rise, disappeared only when splenectomized dogs were pretreated with practolol. Sham operation did not affect the cardiac output response to hypoxemia. It is concluded that an intact spleen is required for a significant portion of the increased cardiac output that occurs during both moderate and severe hypoxemia and that catecholamines do not participate in the regulation of cardiac output unless severe hypoxemia occurs.