Blood, 1952, Vol. 7, No. 7, pp. 683-692.
© 1952 American Society of Hematology, Inc.
The Release of Leukocytes and Platelets from the
Pulmonary Circulation by Epinephrine
H. R. BIERMAN M.D.1,
K. H. KELLY M.D.1,
F. L. CORDES B.A.1,
R. L. BYRON JR. M.D.1,
J. A. POLHEMUS B.S.1, and
S. RAPPOPORT B.S.1
1 Laboratory of Experimental Oncology, National Cancer Institute, National
Institutes of Health, Public Health Service, Federal Security Agency and the Division of
Medicine, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco, Calif.
1. The leukocyte and platelet contents of arterial and venous blood of 12
patients were determined simultaneously during and following the intravenous
administration of 0.1 to 0.3 mg. of epinephrine, l-epinephrine or norepinephrine.
2. Within 30 to 60 seconds after the start of the epinephrine administration,
an initial arterial leukocytosis and thrombocytosis occurred in 10 and 8 instances
respectively and continued for at least 5 minutes before it declined. A leukocytosis also occurred in the venous blood but followed the arterial rise by 30 to
120 seconds.
3. It is concluded that the initial phase of the leukocytosis and thrombocytosis
following intravenous epinephrine infusion is primarily from the pulmonary
circulation.
4. The data indicate that the pulmonary circulation in man is a sizable reservoir of leukocytes and platelets which may be readily discharged into the circulation under proper stimulation.
Submitted on February 4, 1952
Accepted on April 23, 1952
