Gastrointestinal blood flow and oxygen consumption in awake newborn piglets: effect of feeding

Regional and total gastrointestinal (GI) blood flow, O2 delivery, and whole-gut O2 extraction and O2 consumption were measured before and 30, 60, and 120 min after feeding in nonanesthetized, awake 2-day-old piglets. Cardiac output and blood flow to kidneys, heart, brain, and liver were also determined. Blood flow was measured using the radiolabeled microsphere technique. In the preprandial condition, total GI blood flow was 106 +/- 9 ml X min-1 X 100 g-1, while O2 extraction was 17.2 +/- 0.9% and O2 consumption was 1.99 +/- 0.19 ml O2 X min-1 X 100 g-1. Thirty minutes after slow gavage feeding with 30 ml/kg artificial pig milk, O2 delivery to the GI tract and O2 extraction rose significantly (P less than 0.05) by 35 +/- 2 and 33 +/- 2%, respectively. The increase in O2 delivery was effected by a significant increase in GI blood flow, which was localized to the mucosal-submucosal layer of the small intestine. O2 uptake by the GI tract increased 72 +/- 4% 30 min after feeding. Cardiac output and blood flow to non-GI organs did not change significantly with feeding, whereas arterial hepatic blood flow decreased significantly 60 and 120 min after feeding. The piglet GI tract thus meets the oxidative demands of digestion and absorption by increasing local blood flow and tissue O2 extraction.