Influence of blood Po₂ on the stability of agitated saline contrast

Hyperoxic blood has a small stabilizing effect on agitated saline contrast compared with mixed venous blood, lending support to studies that show the reversal of exercise-induced blood flow through intrapulmonary arteriovenous anastomoses (Q̇IPAVA) with hyperoxia. These data support the possible presence of a local O2-dependent regulatory mechanism within the pulmonary vasculature that may play a role in Q̇IPAVA regulation.