Oxygen supply of skeletal muscle in anemia and polycythemia

Blood-letting (2% of the body weight) decreased pO2 and increased the constant of oxygen consumption velocity, whereas general gas exchange remained unaltered in rats with the experimental anemia as well as in rats with chronic hemolytic anemia induced with phenylhydroine Polycythemia led to an increase in the muscle tissue pO2 and a decrease in the constant of oxygen consumption velocity against the background of enhanced O2 capacity of the blood.