Developmental changes in effects of histamine on segmental pulmonary vascular resistances

Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Management of Pulmonary Hypertension in Infants and Children

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) may occur as a primary process or as a complication of several diseases. In the pediatric population, PH secondary to congenital heart disease, chronic hypoxemia, or acute respiratory failure is more common than primary PH. Regardless of etiology, PH may lead to significant morbidity or mortality as a consequence of right-to-left shunting across cardiovascular channels or right heart failure. In this review, PH is defined in terms of the determinants of pulmonary blood flow: pulmonary artery pressure, downstream pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance. Research addressing both normal developmental changes in pulmonary vascular resistance and abnormal pulmonary vascular reactivity is then reviewed, followed by a discussion of the etiologies of PH in children. Some of the more common clinical presentations of PH are presented focussing on the differences seen between patients with and without intracardiac communications. Assessment of the severity of PH using both noninvasive (electrocardiogram, echocardiogram, magnetic resonance imaging) and invasive (cardiac catheterization, lung biopsy) techniques is then discussed. Treatment of PH is presented, focussing on restoration of adequate pulmonary blood flow through use of both conventional and newer vasodilator therapies. The review concludes by noting the limits to our understanding of the pathogenesis and therapy of PH.

H1- and H2-histamine receptor-mediated vasodilation varies with aging in humans

INTRODUCTION

Aging is associated with alterations in the responses to several important vasoactive drugs. We have investigated histamine-mediated venodilation across the adult age range using the human hand vein compliance technique. Histamine produces dilation in human veins by activating both H1- and H2-receptors.

METHODS

Full dose-response curves to histamine were constructed in 16 healthy volunteers (mean age, 47 +/- 20 years; age range, 21 to 80 years) by infusing histamine (2 to 136 ng/min) into dorsal hand veins preconstricted with the alpha-adrenergic selective agonist phenylephrine.

RESULTS

Histamine was an efficacious venodilator across the age range; the average maximal response (Emax) was 122 +/- 45% and the geometric mean ED50 (the dose producing half-maximal response) was 16.6 ng/min for all subjects. Dose-response curves to histamine were repeated after infusion of the H2-selective antagonist cimetidine at a dose sufficient to completely block the H2-mediated response (49 micrograms/min). Cimetidine did not inhibit the Emax in the elderly as much as it did in the young subjects. The Emax to histamine in the presence of cimetidine plotted against age showed a significant relationship (r = 0.62, p = 0.02).

CONCLUSIONS

These results suggest that, although the overall histamine-induced venodilation is conserved in aging, there is a loss of the signal transduction pathway activated by way of H2-receptors but no loss in function of H1-receptors. Consequently, these results suggest differential changes in function of H1- versus H2-histamine receptors with aging. Because H1-receptors are coupled to endothelial-derived relaxing factor release and because H2-receptors activate cyclic adenosine monophosphate in smooth muscle, the results are compatible with hypothesis that there are specific changes in these signal transduction pathways with aging.

Differing effects of acute and prolonged alkalosis on hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction

Animal studies and clinical pediatric practice have shown that acute alkalosis attenuates hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction (HPV). However, increased intracellular pH appears to enhance pulmonary vasoreactivity. We therefore hypothesized that prolonged alkalosis augments HPV. This study compares the effects of acute and prolonged alkalosis on HPV in isolated perfused lungs of 1-month-old lambs (n = 5) and the hypoxic responses of 300- to 500-microns diameter segments of pulmonary arteries (n = 7) from mature cats at control pH and after 30 min of alkalosis. In isolated lamb lungs, normocarbic (5% CO2) hypoxia (4% O2) increased the total pressure gradient (delta PT) by 6.0 +/- 2.7 (SEM) mm Hg (p < or = 0.05). Acute hypocarbia (3% CO2) increased the perfusate pH to approximately 7.52 and significantly decreased the hypoxic delta PT to normocarbic, normoxic (28% O2) levels. Subsequent exposure to normoxia (while maintaining alkalosis) further decreased delta PT. However, re-exposure to hypoxia after 60 min of normoxic alkalosis significantly increased delta PT by 11.6 +/- 1.6 mm Hg (p < or = 0.05) to a level similar to that seen during normocarbic hypoxia. The increased hypoxic reactivity (i.e., change in pressure between normoxia and hypoxia) during prolonged alkalosis was due to enhanced HPV of the small vessels within the middle segment of the pulmonary circuit, as defined by an inflow-outflow occlusion technique (p < or = 0.05). The occlusion data also suggested that most of this increase occurred in small arteries. Moreover, the hypoxic response of isolated small arteries from the cat was increased almost threefold (p < or = 0.05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Histamine release during paediatric cardiopulmonary bypass

Histamine release is part of the general inflammatory response and occurs during surgery and cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in adults. Few data are available for children. Histamine release was studied in 23 children undergoing CPB with standard anaesthetic and CPB techniques. Blood sampling was performed in relation to specific anaesthetic and surgical events, e.g., start of CPB, removal of aortic clamps, reventilation of the lungs. Plasma histamine was determined by a single isotope radioenzymatic technique. There was no consistent histamine release in the study population although there was an increase in plasma histamine concentration in some subjects after initiation of CPB (P < 0.05) and on removal of the aortic cross-clamp (P < 0.05). No correlation was demonstrated between histamine concentration and systolic arterial pressure, temperature, duration of CPB or cross-clamp time. Histamine concentration was positively correlated with heart rate.