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Abstract
A high percentage of neonatal human infants exposed to prolonged assisted ventilation with supplemental oxygen develop airway hyperreactivity. In order to demonstrate that this effect could be replicated in guinea pigs, 4-day-old pups were exposed either to air or 70% oxygen for 4 days. Nine days later each group was subjected to a histamine challenge and differences in respiratory mechanics were determined. The airway pressure response of the hyperoxia group was significantly greater and the respiratory compliance was significantly less than those of the air-exposed pups. The role of inflammation was assessed both by analysis of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BAL) and by histopathology on animals 1 day after discontinuation of the exposures. There were no differences between the two groups in BAL protein, total cell count, or the white blood cell (WBC) differential. Histology did not show any evidence of a difference between the two groups in inflammation or in airway remodeling.