Role of moxifloxacin-dexamethasone in cardiac histomorphometric findings among Wistar rats from infected mothers

Abstract Purpose: To investigate cardiac changes in young rats, whose mothers underwent autogenic fecal peritonitis, during organogenesis phase and to evaluate the role of intravenous administration of moxifloxacin and dexamethasone in preventing infection-related cardiac changes. Methods: A prospective histomorphometric study was performed on 29 hearts of Wistar four-month old rats. Animals were divided into three groups: Negative Control Group (NCG) included 9 subjects from healthy mothers; Positive Control Group (PCG) included 10 subjects from mothers with fecal peritonitis (intra-abdominal injection of 10% autogenic fecal suspension in the gestational period) and did not receive any treatment; and Intervention Group (IG), with 10 animals whose infected mothers received moxifloxacin and dexamethasone treatment 24 hours after induction of fecal peritonitis. Results: Nuclear count was higher in the IG group as compared to PCG (p = 0.0016) and in NCG as compared to PCG (p = 0.0380). There was no significant difference in nuclear counts between NCG and IG. Conclusion: Induced autogenic fecal peritonitis in pregnant Wistar rats determined myocardial changes in young rats that could be avoided by the early administration of intravenous moxifloxacin and dexamethasone.

Fecal peritonitis in aging rat model. Therapeutic response to different antibiotic strategies

Abstract Purpose: To evaluate the response of aging rats with sepsis to two different antibiotic regimens. Methods: The study was conducted with 30 aging rats (18 month-old) with autologous feces peritonitis. The animals were divided into three groups: Group 0 received no therapeutic intervention (control), while Group 1 received a single dose of 40 mg/kg meropenem and Group 2 received a single dose of 20 mg/kg moxifloxacin. The intervention in both Groups was made 6 hours after induction of peritonitis. The animals were followed up to 15 days for evaluating morbidity and mortality. The weights at baseline were similar in all groups. Results: At the end of follow-up, weight loss was significantly greater (p=0.0045) in Group 0 (non-intervention controls). Culture from a blood sample at the end of follow-up was positive in all the animals in Group 0, in two animals in Group 1 and in four animals in Group 2. Morbidity/mortality was significantly higher in Group 0 compared to both Groups 1 and 2 (p=0.003) but the scores were not significantly different between Groups 1 and 2 (p=0.6967). Conclusion: Both antibiotic regimens rendered promising results for the treatment of fecal peritonitis.