ABSTRACT
To observe the changes in plasma adrenomedullin (AM) and its possible mechanism of pathogenesis of traumatic shock, 30 Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into control group, traumatic shock without resuscitation group, and traumatic shock with resuscitation group. Ten control rats were intubated after anesthesia only. Traumatic shock was reproduced in 20 rats by fracturing shafts of both femurs and bleeding to a mean arterial pressure of 35～45mmHg via femoral artery. Hypotension of rats with traumatic shock with resuscitation group was maintained 30min, and then the bled blood was returned, followed by an infusion with same volume of Ringer's solution. Plasma levels of adrenomedullin(AM) were assayed before and after shock. The data showed that plasma levels of AM were significantly increased after shock, and they were higher in the early period than late period. They were also higher in rats without resuscitation than that in rats of the resuscitation group. The results suggested that plasma levels of AM were significantly increased at an early in rats with traumatic shock, implicating that it might play an important role in the development of traumatic shock. Measures taken to decrease the levels of AM at this period might be helpful to improve the result of resuscitation of traumatic shock in rats