title: Effects of pentoxifylline on the cardiovascular manifestations of group B streptococcal sepsis in the piglet.
abstract: Pentoxifylline (PTXF) is a methylxanthine that modifies leukocyte function and inhibits cytokine release. To evaluate its effects on the cardiovascular manifestations of sepsis secondary to group B streptococci, 14 anesthetized, mechanically ventilated piglets were studied over a 240-min period. Animals were randomly assigned to a treatment group that received a PTXF bolus (20 mg/kg) followed by a continuous infusion of 5 mg/kg/h before and during group B streptococci (1 x 10(8) colony forming units/kg/min) administration and a control group that received saline as a placebo. Comparison of the hemodynamic measurements and arterial blood gases during the first 90 min of PTXF treatment with those of the control group resulted in the following 90 min values: systemic arterial blood pressure was significantly higher in the PTXF group (89 +/- 10 versus 56 +/- 30 mm Hg; p less than 0.005) as was cardiac output (0.18 +/- 0.04 versus 0.10 +/- 0.07 L/kg/min; p less than 0.005). Pulmonary vascular resistance remained lower in the PTXF-treated animals (135 +/- 117 versus 248 +/- 119 mm Hg/L/min/kg; p less than 0.001), and these animals were less acidotic as measured by pH (7.07 +/- 0.2 versus 7.31 +/- 0.1; p less than 0.05) and base deficit (-15 +/- 9 versus -5 +/- 2 mmol/L; p less than 0.05). Median survival time was significantly longer in the PTXF group (210 versus 90 min; p less than 0.002). These data demonstrate that PTXF can ameliorate some of the deleterious hemodynamic manifestations of group B streptococci sepsis and result in improved survival in a young animal model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, University of Miami School of Medicine, Florida 33101.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Del Moral
authors.forename: R N
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Goldberg
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Suguihara
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Martinez
authors.forename: W J
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Feuer
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bancalari
mesh_terms: D000136:Acid-Base Equilibrium / Q000187:drug effects; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013292:Streptococcus agalactiae; D013552:Swine; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D010431:Pentoxifylline