Effect of administration of water enriched in O₂ by injection or electrolysis on transcutaneous oxygen pressure in anesthetized pigs

Abstract

Background

Oral administration of oxygenated water has been shown to improve blood oxygenation and could be an alternate way for oxygen (O₂) supply. In this experiment, tissue oxygenation was compared in anesthetized pigs receiving a placebo or water enriched in O₂ by injection or a new electrolytic process.

Methods

Forty-two pigs randomized in three groups received either mineral water as placebo or water enriched in O₂ by injection or the electrolytic process (10 mL/kg in the stomach). Hemodynamic parameters, partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood (PaO₂), skin blood flow, and tissue oxygenation (transcutaneous oxygen pressure, or TcPO₂) were monitored during 90 minutes of general anesthesia. Absorption and tissue distribution of the three waters administered were assessed using dilution of deuterium oxide.

Results

Mean arterial pressure, heart rate, PaO₂, arteriovenous oxygen difference, and water absorption from the gut were not significantly different among the three groups. The deuterium to protium ratio was also similar in the plasma, skin, and muscle at the end of the protocol. Skin blood flow decreased in the three groups. TcPO₂ slowly decreased over the last 60 minutes of the experiment in the three groups, but when compared to the control group, the values remained significantly higher in animals that received the water enriched in O₂ by electrolysis.

Conclusions

In this protocol, water enriched in O₂ by electrolysis lessened the decline of peripheral tissue oxygenation. This observation is compatible with the claim that the electrolytic process generates water clathrates which trap O₂ and facilitate O₂ diffusion along pressure gradients. Potential applications of O₂-enriched water include an alternate method of oxygen supply.

Keywords:

• transcutaneous oxygen partial pressure determination
• tissue oxygenation
• oxygenated water
• water clathrate

Acknowledgments

Danone Research provided the three types of waters used in this study, and also provided financial support for this work. An abstract of this work was presented at the 2012 ASA Annual Meeting in Washington (October 13–17, 2012; A410).

Disclosure

François Péronnet and Ruddy Richard are occasional consultants for Danone Research. Alexis Klein and Liliana Jimenez are employees of Danone Research. The authors report no further conflicts of interest in this work.