Drag-reducing polymers (DRPs) are blood-soluble macromolecules that can increase blood flow and reduce vascular resistance. The purpose of the present study is to examine the effects of DRPs on microcirculation in rat hind limb during acute femoral artery occlusion. Two groups of 20 male Wistar rats were subjected to either hemodynamic measurement or contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEU) imaging during peripheral ischemia. Both groups were further subdivided into a DRP-treated group or a saline-treated group. Polyethylene oxide (PEO) was chosen as the test DRP, and rats were injected with either 10 ppm PEO solution or saline through the caudal vein at a constant rate of 5 ml/h for 20 min. Abdominal aortic flow, iliac artery pressure, iliac vein pressure, heart rate, carotid artery pressure and central venous pressure (CVP) were monitored, and vascular resistance was calculated by (iliac artery pressure-iliac vein pressure)/abdominal aortic blood flow. Flow perfusion and capillary volume of skeletal muscle were measured by CEU. During PEO infusion, abdominal aortic blood flow increased (p<0.001) and vascular resistance decreased (p<0.001) compared to rats that received saline during peripheral ischemia. There was no significant change in ischemic skeletal capillary volume (A) with DRP treatment (p>0.05), but red blood cell velocity (β) and capillary blood flow (A×β) increased significantly (p<0.05) during PEO infusion. In addition, A, β and A×β all increased (p<0.05) in the contralateral hind limb muscle. In contrast, PEO had no significant influence on heart rate, mean carotid artery blood pressure or CVP. Intravenous infusion of drag reducing polymers may offer a novel hydrodynamic approach for improving microcirculation during acute peripheral ischemia.
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