Adaptive responses of total artificial heart animals to treadmill exercise

The hemodynamic and metabolic adaptations to exercise in five calves implanted with the Utah-100 total artificial heart (TAH) were investigated. The outputs of the left and right ventricles (LCO, RCO) were measured with a cardiac output monitoring and diagnostic unit (COMDU). Arterial and venous oxygen content (CaO2, CvO2) and blood lactate levels (Lac) were measured by blood gas analysis and enzymatic methods. Oxygen consumption (VO2), oxygen delivery (DO2), oxygen extraction rate (EO2), index of metabolic adequacy (IMA), and systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance (SVR, PVR) were calculated. The intensity of exercise was categorized into three horizontal grades: low speed (LS) 0.7-1.0 mph, medium speed (MS) 1.0-1.4 mph, and high speed (HS) 1.4-1.8 mph, each for 30 min. During LS, MS, and HS exercise, the LCO, RCO, LAP, RAP, VO2, DO2, and EO2 all increased, and the SVR and PVR decreased. During exercise, there was a positive correlation between DO2, EO2, and VO2. The blood pH, BE, SBE, and lactate levels were within normal ranges, and the IMA exceeded 1.5, denoting that tissue perfusion was adequate and anaerobic metabolism did not occur. This study implies that Utah-100 TAH animals could physiologically accommodate to exercise with an intensity of up to 1.8 mph for 30 min by increasing cardiac preload, cardiac output, oxygen delivery, and oxygen extraction rate, and by decreasing systemic and pulmonary vascular resistance without transition to anaerobic metabolism.