Analysis of endotoxin effects on pulmonary circulation in terms of pressure-flow characteristics

The purpose of the present work was to explore the hypothesis that pulmonary vasoconstriction secondary to endotoxin insult results mainly from an increase in the critical closing pressure of the pulmonary vessels. Specifically, we reasoned that in the face of a Starling resistor located between pulmonary arteries and left atrium, upstream transmission of increased left atrial pressure (Pla) would be inversely related to the level of the pressure intercept (Pi) obtained by extrapolation from the linear pulmonary arterial pressure (Ppa)--flow (Q degrees) plot. Six dogs (group E) were infused with Escherichia coli endotoxin (0.25 microgram/kg/min) for 2 hr, whereas six additional dogs (group C) served as control. During baseline conditions, Pi approximated LAP in both groups. In group C dogs, increasing LAP at constant Q degrees led to a proportional augmentation of Ppa. In group E dogs, endotoxin resulted in a shift of the Ppa-Q relationships to higher pressures due to both increases in Pi and slope. In addition, changes in Pla over the same range as in control dogs affected Ppa only at the highest levels of Pla. We conclude that endotoxin insult increases the critical closing pressure that exceeds Pla and induces the occurrence of a Starling resistor responsible for the production of an effective vascular waterfall.