The effect of endotoxin on tissue oxygen tension measured at the bladder epithelium was assessed in spontaneously breathing Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with halothane. Hyperdynamic (high cardiac output, group A, n = 6) and hypodynamic (low cardiac output, group B, n = 6) circulatory responses were achieved by intravenous administration of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide, 10 mg/kg over 30 min or 20 mg/kg over 1 min, respectively. Comparison was made against sham-operated control rats (group C, n = 6). Aortic and renal blood flows increased in group A and fell in group B (P < 0.001). However, in both groups, bladder epithelial oxygen tension rose significantly compared with control (P < 0.01), despite an increasing metabolic acidosis. This is in contradistinction to previous studies of nonseptic insults where bladder epithelial oxygen tension fell in line with an increasing arterial base deficit. If a raised tissue oxygen tension could be demonstrated in other organ beds, this would suggest that decreased utilization of oxygen rather than reduced tissue oxygen availability is responsible for the apparent anaerobic respiration seen in sepsis.