Effect of aminophylline and isoproterenol on spinal cord blood flow after impact injury

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Abstract
A study of the effects of spinal cord injury upon spinal cord blood flow was carried out in cats. A 400 g-cm impact produced an overall reduction in spinal cord blood flow of 24% in the white matter and 30% in the gray matter, as determined by 14C-antipyrine autoradiography. At the level of the injury, white matter flow was 8.1 ml/100 g per min, a reduction of 49%, and in the gray matter, 12.5 ml/100 g per min, a reduction of 76%. Treatment with aminophylline and isoproterenol improved the overall blood flow in the spinal cord. At the level of the injury, white matter flow after this treatment was no longer significantly different from control values. The gray matter flow remained decreased to 26.2 ml/100 g per min, a reduction of 47%. Aminophylline and isoproterenol may increase cAMP and prevent platelet aggregation along the endothelial surfaces of the microcirculation and may thereby help to maintain improved perfusion of the injured spinal cord.