Intestinal Phase of Superior Mesenteric Artery Blood Flow in Man Gut: First Published As 10.1136/Gut.33.4.497 on 1 April 1992
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Gut, 1992,33,497-501 497 Intestinal phase of superior mesenteric artery blood flow in man Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.33.4.497 on 1 April 1992. Downloaded from C Sieber, C Beglinger, K Jager, G A Stalder Abstract variety of test meals." The different responses Duplex ultrasound was used to investigate observed may be related to meal composition, the superior mesenteric artery haemodynamics in method used to measure blood flow, or they humans in order to study the contribution could be the result of species differences. of the smali intestine to the postprandial The primary objective of this study was to splanchnic hyperaemia, and to determine the investigate the contribution ofthe small intestine relative potencies of the major food com- to postprandial splanchnic hyperaemia and to ponents in the postprandial mesenteric flow determine the relative potencies of the major response. Duplex parameters of vessel dia- nutrient stimuli in healthy human subjects. meter, mean velocity, and volume flow were determined serially in the basal state and after stimulation. Flow parameters were signifi- METHODS cantly (p<005) increased after liquid and solid Subjects oral meals. Modified sham feeding did not alter Six healthy male volunteers, aged 21-27 years mesenteric blood flow. Intestinal perfusion of (mean 23 years), and with body weights averag- an isocaloric liquid test meal induced flow ing 64 kg (range 58-76 kg) were studied on increases comparable with oral intake. different days and in random order in the morn- Superior mesenteric artery blood flow also ing after overnight fasting in resting conditions, significantly (p<0O05) increased after iso- lying in the supine position. Each subject was caloric and iso-osmolar loads of intraduodenal within 10% of his ideal body weight, and none carbohydrate, fat, and protein meals. was taking any medication or had a history of Responses were similar after the test meal, fat, gastrointestinal or endocrine disorder. The and protein, but were significantly (p<0-05) studies were approved by the local Ethical less for carbohydrates. Different osmolar Human Research Committee on 16 October http://gut.bmj.com/ loads of saline did not affect flow responses. 1987, and informed consent was obtained in each We conclude that the intestinal phase is the case. major regulator of the postprandial mesenteric blood flow response in healthy humans and that the chemical nature of food determines the EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN mesenteric response pattern. The examinations were started after overnight fasting with the subjects at rest for 30 minutes. on September 23, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. SMABF was measured by the duplex technique Interest in the intestinal circulation has grown consisting ofa real time sector scanner (3 5 MHz) very rapidly in recent years,'2 but data in man and a pulsed Doppler flowmeter (3 0 MHz) have been rare because of technical problems in (Diasonics DRF-400, CRV). The vessel of inter- measuring splanchnic blood flow in humans. The est can be identified with the real time B-mode introduction of the ultrasonic pulsed Doppler image. The B-mode picture allows detection of technique (duplex scanning) for mesenteric anatomical variations and measurement of the blood flow measurements has made it possible to diameter ofthe artery. It is also used to adjust the study the relation between intestinal function size of the sample volume of the Doppler beam and intestinal blood flow in health and disease.?5 into the artery and to ascertain the angle between The method is non-invasive, and gives consistent the incident Doppler beam and the long axis of and reproducible results after physiological the vessel.712 The orientation of the Doppler stimuli such as food intake.67 beam, the Doppler angle, and the sample volume The intake of food results in an increase in are electronically displayed on the screen. The superior mesenteric artery blood flow (SMABF) Doppler signals are analysed by real time in man after liquid meals."' The relative contri- spectrum analyser that employs a digital fast bution of different food components to the Fourier transform technique. With the Doppler Divisions of postprandial mesenteric blood flow has, how- equation, the system then computes the blood Gastroenterology and ever, not been thoroughly investigated up to now flow velocity. The instantaneous velocity as well Angiology and Department of Research, in humans. There are extensive data from animal as the mean velocity can be determined by the University Hospital, experiments. From these, it is clear that the software. The product of the mean velocity and CH-4031 Basel, hydrolytic products offood digestion are primar- the cross-sectional area of the vessel lumen then Switzerland C Sieber ily responsible for the food induced hyperaemia.' yields the volume flow. To achieve accurate C Beglinger Considerable variations in the magnitude of the measurements, the vessel must follow a straight K Jager intestinal vascular responses have been reported course of about 2 cm and no bifurcation should G A Stalder in these various experiments. The response be present. Correspondence to: Dr C Beglinger. seems to be greater in conscious than in anaes- In all studies, SMABF was measured at 15 Accepted for publication thetised animals.9"' Likewise, various increases minute intervals, with measurements being per- 29 July 1991 have been reported in conscious dogs after a formed while the subject was holding his breath. 498 Sieber, Beglinger,jager, Stalder The superior mesenteric artery was identified random order, the following experiments were and the diameter measured 1 to 2 cm distally to performed after a 30 minute basal period: iso- its origin but proximally to the first side branches. caloric solutions (178 kcal/l) of Ensure plus, The ECG-triggered diameter was recorded be- carbohydrate, fat, and protein were used. All fore the pulsed Doppler beam that encompassed solutions were adjusted to pH 7-4 and had an Gut: first published as 10.1136/gut.33.4.497 on 1 April 1992. Downloaded from the vessel lumen was placed. At each time point, osmolarity of 280 mOsm/l (Table I). In all the three separate measurements ofthe diameter and experiments, the perfusion rate was 5 ml/minute time averaged velocity (TAV) were performed giving a caloric load of 53 4 kcal per hour. and the results were averaged. The TAV was Normal saline and a hyperosmolar solution of computed from the envelope of the Doppler saline (560 mOsm/l) were also tested in further spectra over three heart beats with the software of experiments. Gastric contents were aspirated as the duplex unit. Blood pressure and heart rate described above to quantitate duodenal reflux were monitored throughout in all studies. into the stomach. SMABF was recorded at 15 minute intervals. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE Materials Ensure plus was purchased from Abbott Co Ltd, Ingestion ofa liquid test meal Zug, Switzerland, Intralipid from Globopharm, All subjects ingested 270 ml of a liquid test meal Kusnacht, Switzerland, and bovine serum (Ensure plus) after a basal period. The meal albumin (>96% pure) from Fluka, Buchs, contained 16-7% protein, 30% fat, and 53-3% Switzerland. carbohydrate giving a total caloric value of 405 kcal (equivalent to 1648 kJ). The osmolarity of Data analysis the meal was 442 mOsm/l and and pH 7 0. The blood flow responses (SMABF) were SMABF was recorded during a 30 minute basal expressed as percentages of basal responses to period and after the test meal at 15 minute normalise for variations in basal SMABF meas- intervals. urements. For each subject and each test, the area under the blood flow curve (AUC) for the Infusion ofthe liquid meal into the duodenum various stimulants over basal values was then In this part of the study, volunteers swallowed a calculated. Group means (SEM) were deter- double lumen duodenal tube which was posi- mined from these individual subject values and tioned under fluoroscopic observation. The duo- used for statistical analysis. Diameter and TAV denum was perfused at the site between the are expressed as mean (SEM). The significance of second and third portion. The gastric openings differences between the AUC or between mean http://gut.bmj.com/ were placed in the antrum and used for continu- values was tested using Student's paired t test. ous aspiration of gastric contents. After a basal Differences were considered significant if p was period, the test meal (Ensure plus), containing <0 05. Furthermore, analysis of variance for polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG4000) as a non- repeated measures were used to analyse the data. absorbable marker, was infused over 90 minutes into the duodenum at a rate of 3 ml/minute. This perfusion rate was used to simulate the rate of Results on September 23, 2021 by guest. Protected copyright. gastric emptying of a liquid meal.'3 Gastric contents were continuously aspirated and the MEAL STUDIES PEG4000 concentration in the pooled contents Basal SMABF measurements were similar for was measured. The percentage of reflux of the each of the studies. The mean increase in duodenal contents into the stomach was meas- SMABF in response to the oral intake of both a ured by recovery of PEG4000 in the gastric liquid or a solid meal is shown in Figure 1. An aspirate. immediate and marked increase in mesenteric blood flow was observed, and the maximum was Ingestion ofa solid meal reached within 45 minutes of taking either The meal consisted of two sandwiches - 120 g meal. Sixty minutes after food intake, SMABF bread with 20 g butter and 100 g ham, giving a decreased gradually, but was still significantly total caloric value of 547 kcal (equivalent to 2289 (p<005) above basal values at the end of the kJ). Care was taken to prevent the subjects from experiments.