Table 3

Effect of chronic amitriptyline on pulmonary vascular resistance and response to vasoconstrictors (Experiment 2) and indices of pulmonary hypertension (Experiment 3) in ex vivo isolated blood-perfused rat lungs

CSCACHSCHA
Experiment 2
 BW g308 (5)296 (17)184 (11)**190 (10)**
(n=6)(n=6)(n=6)(n=6)
 PVR mmHg·mL·min−10.63 (0.07)0.57 (0.06)0.81 (0.07)*0.87 (0.09)*
(n=6)(n=6)(n=3)(n=6)
 Intercept mmHg5.8 (0.2)5.1 (0.6)8.6 (0.8)7.3 (0.2)#
(n=6)(n=5)(n=3)(n=6)
ΔPpa mmHg
  2% O2§11.1 (1.7)8.2 (1.5)14.0 (4.4)9.8 (0.53)
(n=6)(n=5)(n=5)(n=6)
  25 µg 5‐HT6.6 (2.2)2.2 (0.5)14.6 (3.5)*5.0 (1.2)#
(n=6)(n=5)(n=5)(n=6)
  50 µg 5‐HT7.98 (2.7)3.9 (1.2)24.8 (3.1)***11.1 (2.7)*,##
(n=6)(n=5)(n=5)(n=6)
  0.5 µg AI13.1 (1.2)12.4 (3.6)30.9 (5.3)**33.6 (2.6)**
(n=5)(n=4)(n=5)(n=6)
Experiment 3+
 Rats n4455
 BW g276 (5)293 (16)263 (11)250 (4)**
 RV/LV+S0.20 (0.008)0.22 (0.01)0.50 (0.02)*0.47 (0.02)*
 RV mg120 (6)135 (12)289 (26)***291 (13)**
 LV+S mg613 (7)611 (32)621 (41)586 (27)
 % TWPV15 (5.8)13 (1.8)41 (7.3)*44 (4.3)*

  • Data are presented as mean (sem) and n of rats

  • CS: normoxic rats treated with saline

  • CA: normoxic rats treated with amitriptyline

  • CHS: chronically hypoxic rats (3 weeks, 10% O2), saline

  • CHA: chronically hypoxic rats (3 weeks, 10% O2), amitriptyline

  • BW: final body weight

  • PVR: pulmonary vascular resistance

  • ΔPpa: rise in pulmonary artery pressure

  • O2: oxygen

  • 5‐HT: serotonin

  • AI: angiotensin‐I

  • RV: right ventricle

  • LV: left ventricle

  • S: septum

  • % TWPV: % thick walled pulmonary vessels

  • *: p<0.05

  • **: p<0.01

  • ***: p<0.001 chronic hypoxia versus normoxia

  • #: p<0.05

  • ##: p<0.01 amitriptyline treated versus saline treated

  • : 25 mg·kg·day−1 amitriptyline i.p. for 21 days, controls received saline

  • +: 25 mg·kg·day−1 tryptazol (syrup) per os by gavage for 21 days, controls received syrup alone

  • §: in this Wistar strain hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction in chronic hypoxic rat lungs is large [s]