Changing levels of serum iron and hemoglobin in Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced rat pneumonia model / 中国感染与化疗杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To examine the changing levels of serum iron and hemoglobin in Streptococcus pneumoniae-induced rat pneumonia model and the relationship among infection severity,serum iron and hemoglobin.Methods Sixty Sprague Dawley (SD)rats were randomly assigned to one of the four groups,1 5 SD rats in each group,including three treatment groups and one control group. Low, medium and high doses of bacteria were administered to the animals in the treatment groups respectively through tracheal cannula.The severity of pneumonia was indicated by the level of bacterial load.The animals in the control group did not receive bacterial challenge.The mean serum iron and hemoglobin levels were calculated on day 3,5, and 7 to analyze the relationship between bacterial dose and serum iron or hemoglobin levels.Results The serum iron level in the animals receiving medium or high doses of bacteria was significantly lower compared with that in control group on day 3 (P=0.009,P=0.005).The serum iron level in the animals receiving low dose of bacteria showed significant difference compared with that in the control group on day 5 (P=0.007).The hemoglobin level in the animals receiving medium or high doses of bacteria was significantly different from that in the control group on day 5 (P=0.031,P=0.046).The hemoglobin level in the animals receiving low dose of bacteria did not show significant difference compared with that in the control group on day 3,5 or 7.The bacterial dose level was negatively correlated with the mean level of serum iron (correlation coefficient r=-0.65,r=-0.53,r=-0.61,respectively).There was no definite correlation between the bacterial dose and the mean hemoglobin level.Conclusions Streptococcus pneumoniae infection may be associated with lower serum iron and hemoglobin levels in rats.The severity of infection is negatively correlated with serum iron level,but not hemoglobin level.