Arterial and venous measurement in resting forearm of metabolic indicators during rest and leg exercise

Abstract

We compared the levels of various metabolic indicators in arterial and venous forearm blood during maximal treadmill leg exercise, and the subsequent 9 min in nine volunteers aged 31-56 years. At maximal exercise plasma lactate was 13.2 +/- 3.1 mmol l-1 arterially, while venous was 41% lower, but increased more than arterial after exercise. There was a linear relationship between arterial and venous samples during and after exercise, but not at baseline. Plasma pyruvate increased on the arterial side from 49 +/- 8 to 172 +/- 30 mumol l-1 at maximal exercise, maximal venous was 21% lower. Free fatty acids were not different at rest, but decreased during exercise by 52 and 38% on the arterial and venous side. There was no relationship between arterial and venous levels. Changes in these three variables occurred significantly earlier on the arterial side. Arterial cyclic AMP rose from 97.3 +/- 28.4 to 262.7 +/- 67.5 nmol l-1 from rest to exercise, and was linearly inversely related to the decrease in free fatty acids. The mean venous pH was lower than arterial at rest, but was the same as arterial at maximal exercise and after. Thus, venous plasma lactate and pyruvate, but not free fatty acids, are linearly related to arterial measurements during maximal exercise, while pH is identical. Non-working muscle modifies exercise-induced changes, and therefore venous and arterial forearm blood sampling give more information than either alone.

Abnormal whole-body energy metabolism in iron-deficient humans despite preserved skeletal muscle oxidative phosphorylation

“…We sampled venous, rather than arterial blood for real-time analysis of lactate concentration, as this was safer and more acceptable to participants. Measured venous blood lactate levels from antecubital fossa sampling have been shown to correlate closely with arterial values during lower limb exercise 37 , supporting such an approach. Haemoglobin concentration was slightly lower on enrolment in the ID group.…”

Percutaneous left ventricular assist in ischemic cardiac arrest

“…This has been shown not to be associated with adverse outcomes after cardiac arrest in the absence of preexisting renal failure (51). The drop in pH was not severe in either group and although this may reflect the effectiveness of the device, it may be related to the relatively short ischemic time (30 minutes or less) and the ability of skeletal muscle to compensate for acid-base disturbances in this time frame (52).…”