THE BLOOD FLOW AND OXYGEN CONSUMPTION OF THE HUMAN BRAIN IN DIABETIC ACIDOSIS AND COMA 1

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Abstract
Studies of blood gases, electro -lytes, acid-base balance, respiration, blood pressure, cerebral blood flow and cerebral oxygen consumption are reported on 14 patients in severe diabetic acidosis, 6 of whom were in deep coma. Respiratory minute volume in these patients was well correlated with arterial pH. Coma was associated with and probably the result of a 40% reduction in cerebral utilization of oxygen which occurred in spite of a generally aug- mented cerebral blood flow and a normal arterial oxygen saturation. The depression in cerebral O2 consumption is partly related to the acidosis and more significantly to the ketosis in this condition although other factors as yet poorly defined are undoubtedly operating. The results establish the feasibility of applying these techniques in diabetic coma and open the possibility of further definition of the biochemical derangements in the living human brain by the study of more specific metabolic components.

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