Effects of emphysema on diaphragm blood flow during exercise

Chronic hyperinflation of the lung in emphysema displaces the diaphragm caudally, thereby placing it in a mechanically disadvantageous position and contributing to the increased work of breathing. We tested the hypothesis that total and regional diaphragm blood flows are increased in emphysema, presumably reflecting an increased diaphragm energetic demand. Male Syrian Golden hamsters were randomly divided into emphysema (E; intratracheal elastase 25 units/100 g body wt) and control (C; saline) groups, and experiments were performed 16-20 wk later. The regional distribution of blood flow within the diaphragm was determined by using radiolabeled microspheres in hamsters at rest and during treadmill exercise (walking at 20 feet/min, 20% grade). Consistent with pronounced emphysema, lung volume per unit body weight was greater in E hamsters (C, 59.3 +/- 1.8; E, 84.5 +/- 5.0 ml/kg; P < 0.001) and arterial PO2 was lower both at rest (C, 74 +/- 3; E, 59 +/- 2 Torr; P < 0.001) and during exercise (C, 93 +/- 3; E, 69 +/- 4 Torr; P < 0.001). At rest, total diaphragm blood flow was not different between C and E hamsters (C, 47 +/- 4; E, 38 +/- 4 ml . min-1 . 100 g-1; P = 0.18). In both C and E hamsters, blood flow at rest was lower in the ventral costal region of the diaphragm than in the dorsal and medial costal regions and the crural diaphragm. During exercise in both C and E hamsters, blood flows increased more in the dorsal and medial costal regions and in the crural diaphragm than in the ventral costal region. Total diaphragm blood flow was greater in E hamsters during exercise (C, 58 +/- 7; E, 90 +/- 14 ml . min-1 . 100 g-1; P = 0.03), as a consequence of significantly higher blood flows in the medial and ventral costal regions and crural diaphragm. In addition, exercise-induced increases in intercostal (P < 0.005) and abdominal (P < 0.05) muscle blood flows were greater in E hamsters. The finding that diaphragm blood flow was greater in E hamsters during exercise supports the contention that emphysema increases the energetic requirements of the diaphragm.