The role of carotid chemoreceptors in the sympathetic activation by adenosine in humans

The direct vasodilatory and negative chronotropic effects of adenosine in humans are counterbalanced by a reflex increase in sympathetic nerve traffic. A suggested mechanism for this reflex includes peripheral chemoreceptor activation. We, therefore, assessed the contribution of carotid chemoreceptors to sympatho-excitation by adenosine. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity was recorded during adenosine infusion (140 microg.kg(-1).min(-1) for 5 min) in five patients lacking carotid chemoreceptors after bilateral carotid body tumour resection (one male and four female, mean age 51 +/- 11 years) and in six healthy controls (two male and four female, mean age 50 +/- 7 years). Sympathetic responses to sodium nitroprusside injections were assessed to measure baroreceptor-mediated sympathetic activation. In response to adenosine, controls showed no change in blood pressure, an increase in heart rate (+48.2 +/- 13.2%; P<0.003) and an increase in sympathetic nerve activity (+195 +/- 103%; P<0.022). In contrast, patients showed a decrease in blood pressure (-14.6 +/- 4.9/-17.6 +/- 6.0%; P<0.05), an increase in heart rate (+25.3 +/- 8.4%; P<0.032) and no significant change in sympathetic activity. Adenosine-induced hypotension in individual patients elicited less sympathetic activation than equihypotensive sodium nitroprusside injections. In humans lacking carotid chemoreceptors, adenosine infusion elicits hypotension due to the absence of significant sympatho-excitation. Chemoreceptor activation is essential for counterbalancing the direct vasodilation by adenosine. In addition, blunting of the baroreflex sympathetic response to adenosine-induced hypotension may indicate a direct sympatho-inhibitory effect of adenosine.