Plasma activities of acid hydrolases in experimental oligemic shock in the pig

Abstract

The plasma activities of the acid hydrolases β-Dglucosidase and β-D-galactosidase were studied in connection with a standardized hypotension in pigs induced by bleeding to a mean arterial pressure of 30 mm Hg. All animals showed increases in both enzymes, with β-glucosidase reacting most with a relative increase 6 to 73 times the preshock values after one hour of hypovolemic shock. In prolonged hypotension, increases up to 200 times the basal values were seen. The increases seemed to be early and correlated with the development of irreversibility in shock, but it cannot be stated whether the relation is causative in any respect or merely passive. The importance of concomitant acidosis is stressed.