Effect of vagus nerve stimulation on blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in endotoxemic rats / 中华麻醉学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To evaluate the effect of vagus nerve stimulation on the blood coagulation and fibrinolysis in endotoxemic rats.Methods Ninety-six male Sprague-Dawley rats,weighing 250-280 g,were equally and randomly divided into 4 groups using a random number tablenormal saline group (S group) ; lipopolysaccharide (LPS) group; vagus nerve cutting group (VNC group) and vagus nerve stimulation group (VNS group).Endotoxemia was induced by LPS 10 mg/kg injected via the left femoral vein.In group S,normal saline 5 ml/kg was injected via the left femoral vein.In S and LPS groups,the bilateral vagus nerves were only isolated.The bilateral vagus nerves were isolated,ligated and cut immediately after LPS injection in VNC group.The distal end of the vagus nerve was stimulated with direct current (5 V,2 ms,1 Hz) continuously for 20 min starting from the end of LPS injection in group VNS.Six rats were sacrificed before LPS injection (T0) and at 2,4 and 6 h after LPS injection (T1-3) and arterial blood samples were taken for determination of the levels of plasma tumor necrosis factorα (TNF-α),antithrombin (AT),tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA),plasminogen activator inhibitor type 1 (PAI-1) and D-Dimer.Results Compared with group S,the plasma TNF-α,tPA,PAI-1 and D-Dimer levels were significantly increased,and AT level was decreased after LPS injection in LPS and VNC groups (P ＜ 0.05).Compared with group LPS group,the plasma AT level was significantly decreased,and the plasma PAI-1 level was increased in group VNC,and the plasma TNFα,tPA,PAI-1 and D-Dimer levels were decreased,and the plasma AT level was increased in VNS group (P ＜ 0.05).Conclusion Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve can improve the blood coagulation and fibinonlysis in endotoxemic rats,and activation of cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway,inhibition of inflammatory responses and reduction of damage to vascular endothelial cells may be involved in the mechanism.