Elevation of Plasma Amino Nitrogen as an Index of the Gravity of Hemorrhagic Shock.

Abstract

Serial detns. of the hematocrit and the whole blood, plasma and red cell amino N concs. were carried out during prolonged hemorrhage and shock in rats. It was shown that, due to the high conc. of amino N in the red cell, as compared to the plasma, the whole blood amino N fluctuates with the hematocrit, while the plasma amino N more closely reflects the degree of shock. In a large series of rats a rise in plasma amino N of 1 mg. % or more after a 2.5-2.7% hemorrhage was invariably associated with a fatal outcome.