Ketoacid production in acute respiratory and metabolic acidosis and alkalosis in rats.

Metabolic acidosis inhibits and alkalosis enhances ketoacid production in ketotic humans and animals. To compare these effects with those of superimposed respiratory acid-base disturbances, ketone output was evaluated in awake ketotic rats during metabolic (intravenous infusions of HCl or NaHCO3) or respiratory (hyper or hypocapnia) disorders. With decreases in blood pH of 0.1-0.2 units over 3 h, blood ketone concentrations significantly decreased an average of 1.9 mM (metabolic) and 1.1 mM (respiratory) and urinary ketone excretion rates significantly decreased by 1.3 mumol/min (metabolic). With increases in systemic pH, blood ketone concentrations and urinary ketone excretion rates were significantly increased. Changes in blood pH correlated with changes in urinary ketone excretion rates in both metabolic (r = 0.87) and respiratory (r = 0.67) acid-base disturbances. The alterations occurred promptly and were rapidly reversible. These findings indicate that modest changes in systemic pH from metabolic or respiratory acid-base disturbances modify net ketoacid production in ketotic rats, confirm pH control of endogenous acid output as an acid-base regulator, and show that systemic pH, not bicarbonate concentration, mediates the process.