Effect of environmental temperature on metabolic changes following physical injury

Abstract

Rats in shock resulting from limb ischemia showed no significant differences in the rise in blood nonprotein nitrogen when kept at different environmental temperatures after the period of limb ischemia. Under these conditions the elevation in blood inorganic phosphorus was inversely related to the environmental temperature. In the shocked rats the tolerance for orally administered carbohydrate was less and the hepatic glycogen values were higher at 21°-32°C than at 10°C. However, at similar times the residue of reducing substances in the gut was greater at 10°C than at 21°-32°C. There was no significant difference in the tolerance for intravenously administered glucose at 10°, 20° and 30°C in the shocked rats, but control rats, with clamps left in position, showed a significantly better tolerance at 10°C than at 20° or 30°C. Under the conditions used, environmental temperature had little influence on blood N.P.N. changes in shock, but did influence the blood inorganic phosphorus levels and the tolerance for orally administered carbohydrate. Submitted on July 16, 1959