Cerebral vasomotor responsiveness during 100% oxygen inhalation in cerebral ischemia

Cerebral vasoconstrictor responsiveness to 100% oxygen inhalation was measured in 149 subjects, including normal healthy volunteers and those with risk factors for cerebral arteriosclerosis (N = 87). Test results were compared among patients with hemispheric stroke and vertebrobasilar insufficiency (N = 62) with the 133Xe inhalation method. Normal volunteers without risk factors (N = 49), aged 25 to 86 years, showed symmetrical vasoconstriction. Asymptomatic subjects with risk factors (N = 38) and those with vertebrobasilar insufficiency (N = 25) had decreased hemispheric gray matter flow (Fg) values during rest, but vasoconstrictor responsiveness to 100% oxygen inhalation was not significantly reduced. In patients with acute hemispheric infarction, regional vasoconstrictor responsiveness to 100% oxygen inhalation was lost and/or paradoxically reversed; in patients with chronic hemispheric infarction, it was decreased. Testing vasomotor responses during hyperoxia is safe, clinically helpful, and demonstrates impaired vasomotor reactivity in infarcted regions.