EFFECTS OF A CONTINUOUS-INFUSION OF TRIS(HYDROXYMETHYL)AMINOMETHANE ON ACIDOSIS, OXYGEN-AFFINITY, AND SERUM OSMOLALITY

The effects of a continuous infusion of tris(hydroxymethyl)-amionomethane (THAM) on pH, base excess, p50, serum osmolality, and plasma drug concentration during respiratory acidosis were studied in newborn piglets. Measurements were made during three experimental periods: (1) control period with normal blood gases; (2) hypercapnia period, and (3) hypercapnia plus THAM period (THAM infusion: 1.65 mmol/kg/h). pH decreased and paCO(2) increased between control period (7.40 +/- 0.05 and 45 +/- 3 mm Hg) and hypercapnia period (7.24 +/- 0.06 and 59 +/- 2 mm Hg; p < 0.001; mean +/- SD). pH returned to baseline(7.37 +/- 0.04) during the hypercapnia plus THAM period, while paC0(2) remained elevated (63 +/- 4 mm Hg); p50 increased from 30.7 +/- 5.9 to 38.3 +/- 4.7 (p < 0.05) during hypercapnia and decreased with hypercapnia plus THAM. THAM concentration and base excess increased with time and were linearly related. Serum osmolality was unchanged during the THAM infusion. We conclude that continuous infusion of THAM is effective in normalizing pH during respiratory acidosis in the piglet.