Anesthesiology
-
Comparative Study
Different Impacts of α- and β-Blockers in Neurogenic Hypertension Produced by Brainstem Lesions in Rat.
Bilateral lesions of nucleus tractus solitarii in rat result in acute hypertension, pulmonary edema, and death within hours. The hypertension results from excessive catecholamine release. Catecholamine can activate connexin43 to regulate cell death. There is no study investigating the cardiopulmonary impacts of different adrenergic blockers and apoptosis mechanism in rat model. ⋯ α1-Receptors are the keystones of the phenotype. In some brainstem encephalitis and brain injury with nucleus tractus solitarii involvement, early α1-receptor blockade treatment may prevent acute death from tissue apoptosis. α-Blockers can also decrease cerebral perfusion pressure, and further studies are needed in translation to brain injury with increased intracranial pressure.
-
Animal models of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) in primates, sheep, and pigs differ in the underlying pulmonary injury, etiology, bacterial inoculation methods, and time to onset. The most common ovine and porcine models do not reproduce the primary pathogenic mechanism of the disease, through the aspiration of oropharyngeal pathogens, or the most prevalent human etiology. Herein the authors characterize a novel porcine model of VAP due to aspiration of oropharyngeal secretions colonized by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ⋯ The authors devised a VAP model caused by aspiration of oropharyngeal P. aeruginosa, a frequent causative pathogen of human VAP. The model also overcomes the practical and legislative limitations associated with the use of primates. The authors' model could be employed to study pathophysiologic mechanisms, as well as novel diagnostic/preventive strategies.