Effects of systemically infused histamine on transvascular fluid and protein transfer

Histamine (4-64 microgram base/min) infused into the brachial artery clearly promotes edema formation in forelimbs perfused at natural flow. In contrast, intravenously administered histamine, even in blood concentrations exceeding those achieved by local infusion, not only fails to promote edema formation, but rather causes net extravascular fluid reabsorption. In this study, high concentrations of histamine were infused into the left ventricular chamber to bypass the pulmonary circuit. Histamine (400-800 microgram base/min) infused into the left ventricle of the heart for 90 min produced marked hypotension and only very slight increases in forelimb skin lymph flow and lymph protein concentration and failed to produce visible signs of edema. Thus the differential actions of local and intravenous histamine on lymph flow, protein efflux, and fluid fluxes cannot be explained by uptake or destruction of histamine in the lung during intravenous infusions of this agent. It seems more likely that they result from different actions on microvascular pressure, surface area, and/or permeability to plasma proteins. Prior hypotension produced either by acetylcholine, systemically infused histamine, or arterial hemorrhage almost completely prevents the increase in skin lymph flow and lymph protein concentration by histamine infused locally into the brachial artery, even in forelimbs perfused at constant flow.