Shock : molecular, cellular, and systemic pathobiological aspects and therapeutic approaches : the official journal the Shock Society, the European Shock Society, the Brazilian Shock Society, the International Federation of Shock Societies
-
Intra-abdominal hypertension jeopardizes abdominal organ perfusion and venous return. Contemporary recognition of elevated intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) plays a crucial role in reducing mortality and morbidity. We evaluated ultrasound-guided tonometry in this context hypothesizing that the vertical chamber diameter of this device inversely correlates with IAP. ⋯ In our model, values obtained by ultrasound-guided tonometry correlated significantly with IAPs. The method was able to discriminate between normal, moderately, and markedly increased IAP values.
-
Perioperative resuscitation with large amounts of fluid may cause tissue edema, especially in the gut, and thereby impairing its functions. This is especially relevant in sepsis where capillaries become leaky and fluid rapidly escapes to the pericapillary tissue. We assessed the effects of endotoxemia and peritonitis, and the use of high and moderate volume fluid resuscitation on jejunal contractility. We hypothesized that both endotoxemia and peritonitis impair jejunum contractility and relaxation, and that this effect is aggravated in peritonitis and with high fluid administration. ⋯ Intestinal contractility is similarly impaired during peritonitis and during endotoxemia. Moreover, perioperative high-volume fluid resuscitation in sham-operated animals also decreases intestinal contractility. This may have consequences for postoperative recovery.
-
Impairment of host immune response in malaria favors bacteremia caused by typhoidal or nontyphoidal serovars of Salmonella enterica. Ofloxacin and Artesunate are the drugs that are clinically proven for treating typhoid and malaria, respectively. The study evaluates the host responses upon treatment with antibiotic (Ofloxacin) and antimalarial (Artesunate) in a standardized mice model harboring coinfection. ⋯ Elevated bacterial burden with malaria induces the expression of TLR-2 and TLR-4 triggering intense inflammatory response (NFκB, Th1/Th2 cytokines) in coinfected mice. This results in critical liver damage (ALT, AST, and ALP), oxidative stress (lipid peroxidation, total GSH, catalase, and super oxide dismutase), and hemeoxygenase-1 (HO-1). The study concludes that malaria infection aggravates the secondary infection of Salmonella serovars and the control of septicemia is critical in recovery of the coinfected subject.
-
Critical illness is accompanied by hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation, but adrenal insufficiency characterized by inadequate glucocorticoid synthesis is common in critically ill cirrhotic patients, the "hepato-adrenal syndrome." Adrenal cortex also synthesizes androgen (dehydroepiandrosterone, DHEA). DHEA maintains microcirculation by enhancing vascular endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) activity. In critical patients of other disease entities, a shift of adrenal steroidogenesis away from androgens toward glucocorticoid has been noted, arousing interests in androgen replacement in critical settings. ⋯ ACTH did not stimulate DHEA synthesis in bleeding BDL rats. In conclusion, androgen deficiency exists in bleeding cirrhotic rats. DHEA augments terlipressin-induced amelioration of shock without influencing splanchnic hemodynamics, possibly rendering it a feasible adjunct to vasoconstrictors in variceal hemorrhage.