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Comparative Study
. 2006;10(3):R75.
doi: 10.1186/cc4922. Epub 2006 May 12.

Arteriolar vasoconstrictive response: comparing the effects of arginine vasopressin and norepinephrine

Barbara E Friesenecker  1 , Amy G Tsai, Judith Martini, Hanno Ulmer, Volker Wenzel, Walter R Hasibeder, Marcos Intaglietta, Martin W Dünser
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Arteriolar vasoconstrictive response: comparing the effects of arginine vasopressin and norepinephrine

Barbara E Friesenecker et al. Crit Care. 2006.

Abstract

Introduction: This study was designed to examine differences in the arteriolar vasoconstrictive response between arginine vasopressin (AVP) and norepinephrine (NE) on the microcirculatory level in the hamster window chamber model in unanesthetized, normotonic hamsters using intravital microscopy. It is known from patients with advanced vasodilatory shock that AVP exerts strong additional vasoconstriction when incremental dosage increases of NE have no further effect on mean arterial blood pressure (MAP).

Methods: In a prospective controlled experimental study, eleven awake, male golden Syrian hamsters were instrumented with a viewing window inserted into the dorsal skinfold. NE (2 microg/kg/minute) and AVP (0.0001 IU/kg/minute, equivalent to 4 IU/h in a 70 kg patient) were continuously infused to achieve a similar increase in MAP. According to their position within the arteriolar network, arterioles were grouped into five types: A0 (branch off small artery) to A4 (branch off A3 arteriole).

Results: Reduction of arteriolar diameter (NE, -31 +/- 12% versus AVP, -49 +/- 7%; p = 0.002), cross sectional area (NE, -49 +/- 17% versus AVP, -73 +/- 7%; p = 0.002), and arteriolar blood flow (NE, -62 +/- 13% versus AVP, -80 +/- 6%; p = 0.004) in A0 arterioles was significantly more pronounced in AVP animals. There was no difference in red blood cell velocities in A0 arterioles between groups. The reduction of diameter, cross sectional area, red blood cell velocity, and arteriolar blood flow in A1 to A4 arterioles was comparable in AVP and NE animals.

Conclusion: Within the microvascular network, AVP exerted significantly stronger vasoconstriction on large A0 arterioles than NE under physiological conditions. This observation may partly explain why AVP is such a potent vasopressor hormone and can increase systemic vascular resistance even in advanced vasodilatory shock unresponsive to increases in standard catecholamine therapy.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Hamster window chamber model. In-vivo preparation of the hamster window chamber model with visible A0 arteriole and V0 vein. Other vessels (A1, branch off A0; A2, branch off A1; A3, branch off A2; A4, branch off A3), capillaries (defined as vessels with single red cell transit), and venules can only be classified under the intravital microscope.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Cross-sectional arteriolar areas. Differences in cross-sectional area (μm2) of A0, A1, A2, A3 and A4 arterioles between norepinephrine (NE) and arginine vasopressin (AVP) treated animals (drawn true to scale). The asterisk indicates a significant difference between groups (p < 0.002).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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