Thoracic epidural anesthesia decreases endotoxin-induced endothelial injury.

BACKGROUND: The sympathetic nervous system is considered to modulate the endotoxin-induced activation of immune cells. Here we investigate whether thoracic epidural anesthesia with its regional symapathetic blocking effect alters endotoxin-induced leukocyte-endothelium activation and interaction with subsequent endothelial injury. METHODS: Sprague Dawley rats were anesthetized, cannulated and hemodynamically monitored. E. coli lipopolysaccharide (Serotype 0127:B8, 1.5 mg x kg(-1) x h(-1)) or isotonic saline (controls) was infused for 300 minutes. An epidural catheter was inserted for continuous application of lidocaine or normal saline in endotoxemic animals and saline in controls. After 300 minutes we measured catecholamine and cytokine plasma concentrations, adhesion molecule expression, leukocyte adhesion, and intestinal tissue edema. RESULTS: In endotoxemic animals with epidural saline, LPS significantly increased the interleukin-1ß plasma concentration (48%), the expression of endothelial adhesion molecules E-selectin (34%) and ICAM-1 (42%), and the number of adherent leukocytes (40%) with an increase in intestinal myeloperoxidase activity (26%) and tissue edema (75%) when compared to healthy controls. In endotoxemic animals with epidural infusion of lidocaine the values were similar to those in control animals, while epinephrine plasma concentration was 32% lower compared to endotoxemic animals with epidural saline. CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic epidural anesthesia attenuated the endotoxin-induced increase of IL-1ß concentration, adhesion molecule expression and leukocyte-adhesion with subsequent endothelial injury. A potential mechanism is the reduction in the plasma concentration of epinephrine.

Regional sympathetic blockade attenuates activation of intestinal macrophages and reduces gut barrier failure.

BACKGROUND: Endotoxin-induced activation of monocytes may lead to extravasation of cells, excessive production of nitric oxide, and subsequent epithelial injury in the gut. Regional sympathetic blockade by means of thoracic epidural anesthesia has been implicated to protect the epithelial barrier. This study tested the hypothesis that thoracic epidural anesthesia decreases epithelial permeability by attenuating monocytic production of nitric oxide and nitrosative stress. METHODS: Rats were anesthetized, hemodynamically monitored, and mechanically ventilated. Endotoxemia was induced by an intravenous bolus injection of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Either lidocaine 2% or normal saline was injected as a bolus, followed by a continuous infusion via an epidural catheter. Three hundred minutes after injection of lipopolysaccharide or normal saline, gut epithelial permeability to fluorescein isothiocyanate-dextran (4 kDa), intestinal expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase by macrophages, and lipid peroxidation represented by 8-isoprostane tissue concentration were quantified. RESULTS: Thoracic epidural anesthesia significantly attenuated the endotoxin-induced increases in gut epithelial permeability (437 [293, 492] vs. 628 [532, 1,042] ng/ml, median [quartiles], P = 0.03), expression of nitric oxide synthase (2 [1,2] vs. 7 [5,8] cells per 384 µm(2), P = 0.003), macrophage infiltration, and lipid peroxidation (22,460 ± 11,476 vs. 37,840 ± 17,551 pg/ml, mean ± SD, P = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Thoracic epidural anesthesia attenuates endotoxin-induced gut epithelial injury. This is likely due to a decrease in monocytic extravasation and intestinal nitrosative stress. As possible mechanisms, direct nerve-immune interplay, a reduction in plasma catecholamines, or a systemic lidocaine effect has to be considered.

Inhalation of NO during myocardial ischemia reduces infarct size and improves cardiac function.

PURPOSE: Bioactive NO carriers in circulating blood formed during NO inhalation selectively distribute blood flow to areas in need, and may thus improve collateral perfusion to the area-at-risk in acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Here, we tested the hypothesis that NO inhalation during the ischemic phase of AMI may improve left ventricular function and reduce infarct size in rats. METHODS: Following left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) occlusion, rats received 50 ppm NO for 2 h of ischemia, during subsequent 3 h of reperfusion, or for 5 h of ischemia and reperfusion. Effects of inhaled NO were compared to those of intravenous nitrite as a putative carrier formed during NO inhalation. Downstream signaling via soluble guanylate cyclase was tested by inhibition with 1H-[1,2,4]oxadiazolo[4,3-a]quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ). RESULTS: NO inhalation during myocardial ischemia increased left ventricular systolic pressure, contractility, relaxation, and cardiac output, and reduced myocardial infarction size and area-at-risk as compared to untreated controls. NO inhalation during the reperfusion phase caused a comparable protective effect. Combined inhalation during ischemia and reperfusion did not further improve left ventricular hemodynamics, but had an additive protective effect on the myocardial area-at-risk. NO inhalation increased circulating nitrite levels, and mimicking of this effect by intravenous nitrite infusion achieved similar protection as NO inhalation during myocardial ischemia, while ODQ blocked the protective NO effect. CONCLUSIONS: Inhalation of NO during myocardial ischemia improves left ventricular function and reduces infarct size by mechanisms that increase levels of circulating nitrite and involve soluble guanylate cyclase. NO inhalation may represent a promising early intervention in AMI.

Volume therapy with colloid solutions preserves intestinal microvascular perfusion in endotoxaemia.

Colloid solutions have been suggested to improve microvascular perfusion due to their anti-inflammatory properties. Whether this also applies for the gut, an important immunological organ vulnerable to hypoperfusion is unknown. This study investigated intestinal microcirculation of endotoxaemic rats after volume therapy with colloid solutions such as hydroxyethyl starch (HES) and gelatin or isotonic saline (NaCl). In addition intestinal oxygenation and morphology as well as mesenteric leukocyte-endothelium interaction were quantified. Rats were anaesthetised with urethane and ketamine, mechanically ventilated, and monitored haemodynamically. Normotensive endotoxaemia was induced by a continuous intravenous infusion of Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 1.5 mg kg(-1) h(-1)). After 1 h of LPS infusion either 6% HES (16 ml kg(-1)), 4% gelatin (16 ml kg(-1)) or 0.9% NaCl (64 ml kg(-1)) were infused for 1 h. Using intravital microscopy, functional capillary density (FCD) and red blood cell velocity (RBCV) were measured in the mucosa of the terminal ileum at baseline and 3 h after volume therapy. In another set of animals, mesenteric leukocyte-endothelium interaction was determined 3 h after volume therapy. In all animals intestinal lactate/pyruvate ratio and intestinal morphology were assessed. Three hours after volume therapy, FCD decreased in NaCl (808 [749/843] cm(-1); median [quartiles] P<0.05 versus baseline) but not in HES (995 [945/1036] cm(-1)) and gelatin (988 [867/1193] cm(-1)) groups. RBCV, lactate/pyruvate ratio and intestinal morphology did not differ among groups. Also mesenteric leukocyte-endothelium interaction was not significantly influenced by either treatment. In conclusion, early volume therapy with HES or gelatin, but not with NaCl, preserved gut microvascular perfusion during endotoxaemia but did not have a significant effect on tissue oxygenation nor morphological appearance in this experimental model. An anti-inflammatory effect of colloid solutions was not seen and fails to explain the changes in intestinal microcirculation.