EFFECT OF POTASSIUM INFUSION ON THORACIC DUCT LYMPH FLOW IN LAMBS

<正> To assess distinctive characteristic of potassium on tho-racic duct lymph flow,response to infusion of isotonic KC1 solution wascompared to that of isotonic NaCl solution in seven anesthetized newbornlambs.Lymph flow rate,hematocrit,plasma and lymph protein andpotassium concentration,plasma and lymph osmolalities were measured.Excess lymph volume over 30 min infusion period was calculated fromthe area under lymph flow curves.Our findings were:(1)Thoracicduct lymph flow rate increased more and came up earlier during KCl in-fusion than during NaCl infusion.Excess lymph volume response to KClinfusion was markedly higher than that to NaCl infusion:(2)Relativeblood volume increase during NaCl infusion was significantly more thanthat during KCl infusion and(3)plasma protein concentration decreasedmarkedly during NaCl but not during KCl infusion,These data suggestthat elevated plasma potassium may stimulate thoracic duct lymph flowby increasing capillary filtration rate.