Gas transport in blood Flashcards
(153 cards)
Define methaemoglobinaemia
◦ methaemoglobin is an altered state of Hb where ferrous ions (Fe2+) of haem are oxidised to the ferric state (Fe3+) and rendered unable to bind O2
◦ normal level is < 1.5%
What is the normal level of methaemoglobin
- Normal rate of autooxidation 0.5 - 3% of total Hb - due to oxygen acting as an oxidising agent where it becomes a superoxide radical (O2-) as it dissociates with Fe. It is normal that when Fe and O2 associate that iron is oxidised to its ferric form temporarily
What are the 3 divisions of causes of methaemoglobinaemia
Congenital enzyme deficiencies
Acquaired/toxins - indirect oxidants
Acquired direct oxidants
What acquired indirect oxidants cause methaemoglobinaemia
◦ Aromatic hydrocarbons - indirect oxidant of Hb
‣ aniline dyes
‣ benzene derivatives
◦ Sulfonamides - indirect oxidant of Hb
‣ Dapsone
‣ Bactrim
◦ Random antibioitcs - nitrofurantoin (indirect)
◦ Local anaesthetics - indirect
‣ Benzocaine
‣ Prilocaine
What direct oxidants cause methameoglobinaemia
◦ Methylene blue (direct oxidant)
◦ Nitrites (NO2-) - autocatalyst reaction where methaemoglobin catalyses the further oxidation of oxyhaemoglobin where nitrites accept 2 electrons (Lewis acid)
‣ NO
‣ Sodium nitrite
◦ Nitrates (NO3-) - reduced to nitrite by gut bacteria and therefore via above action also causes it
‣ GTN
‣ nitroprusside
◦ Antimalarials - rarely unless enzyme defects present
‣ chloroquine
How is methaemoglobin metabolised
How does methylene blue act to help methaemoglobin processing
What are the clinical features of methaemoglobinaemia
- cyanosis
- symptoms and signs of decreased oxygen delivery e.g. chest pain, dyspnea, altered metal state, end organ damage
- SpO2 reading 85-90%
- blood samples typically have a chocolate brown hue
- Normal PaO2
What factors may cause an incorrect high measurement of methaemoglobin
◦ Note that hyperlipidaemia via scattering can result in erroneous readings of high methaemoglobin due to the perceived absorbance being high; however it is purely scattering
◦ Additionally isosulfant blue or patent blue used for sentinal node biopsy also can cause spurious high measures
What is carboxyhaemoglobinaemia
CO - Hb
Why does carbon monoxide bind to haemoglobin instead of oxygen and how does it cause problems
◦ 210x affinity for Hb compared to oxygen - rate of binding 20% that of O2, and actively displaced O2
◦ Therefore renders haemoglobin oxygen carrying capacity and delivery to tissue reduced resulting in tissue hypoxia and ishcaemic injury
◦ It additionally interferes with cooperative binding of haemoglobin flattening out the oxyhaemoglobin dissocation curve so affinity for unaffected normal haem is increased, left shifts the curve and oxygen is not released to hypoxic tissues
◦ CO also beinds to intracellulra cytochromes impairing aerobic metabolism
◦ Triggers endothelial oxidative injury, lipid peroxidation and inflammatory cascade
Typical symptoms and concentrations of Carboxyhaemoglobin
◦ <10% (nil, commonly found in smokers) 3-10% common
◦ 10 – 20% (nil or vague nondescript symptoms)
◦ 30 – 40% (headache, tachycardia, confusion, weakness, nausea, vomiting, collapse)
◦ 50 – 60% (coma, convulsions, Cheyne-Stokes breathing, arrhythmias, ECG changes)
◦ 70 – 80% (circulatory and ventilatory failure, cardiac arrest, death)
What factors influence carboxyhaemoglobin absorption
◦ COHb concentration in blood is a function of CO contcentration in inspired air and itme of exposure
◦ Uptake increased by
‣ Decreased barometric pressure
‣ Increased activity
‣ Increased rate of ventilation
‣ High metabolic rate
‣ Anaemia
Distribution of carbon monoxide
Rapid
Metabolismm of carboxyhaemoglobin
<1% endogenously metabolised
Carboxyhaemoglobin excretion
◦ CO eliminated unchanged from the lungs in an exponential manner
◦ Biological half life in sedentary healthy adult 4-5 hours
◦ This half-life decreases with oxygen administration
◦ ~ 40–80 minutes with administration of 100% oxygen
◦ ~ 23 minutes with hyperbaric oxygen (2 atmospheres)
◦ elimination is affected by the factors as absorption (see above) and is likely faster in many CO poisoned patients due to compensatory measures (e.g. hyperventilation, increased cardiac output)
ABg findings in carboxyhaemoglobinaemia
◦ HbCO (elevated levels are significant, but low levels do not rule out exposure) - 1% is normal. Note foetal haemoglobin interferes with its measurement
◦ lactate (tissue hypoxia)
◦ PaO2 should be normal, SpO2 only accurate if measured (not calculated from PaO2)
◦ MetHb (exclude)
What is the most important factor in CO2 transport in the blood being so effective in veinous environments
Haldane effect
What effect does the haldane effect have on the CO2 dissociation curve
upward shift, same PCO2 but more dissolved
What causes the Haldane effects
30% from the increased Buffering from de-oxyhaemoglobin allowing increased CO2 dissociation in water
Deoxyhaemoglobin is more effective at forming carbamino compounds than oxyhaemoglobin accounting for 70% of the Haldane effect
What proportion of CO2 transport is done by each mechanism arterially
HCO3 - 90% arterial
Carbamino 5%
Dissolved 5%
Of the arterioveinous increase in CO2 required for transport what proportion of this new CO2 is transported by each mechanism?
60% via HCO3
30% via carbamino compounds
10% via dissolved CO2
How much more soluble is CO2 than O2
20x
What is arterial blood CO2 content
480ml/L