title: Pharmacologic interventions in acute mesenteric ischemia: improved survival with intravenous glucagon, methylprednisolone, and prostacyclin.
abstract: An experimental model of acute mesenteric ischemia following 85 minutes of superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusion in male Wistar rats was used in this investigation. Untreated control animals had a 48-hour survival rate of 38% (n = 26), whereas sham laparotomy resulted in a 100% 48-hour survival rate (n = 10). Study groups received intravenous infusions of normal saline solution (16.6 ml/kg/hr; n = 26) or similar volumes of normal saline solution with the addition of glucagon (1.6 micrograms/kg/min; n = 26), dopamine (3.2 micrograms/kg/min; n = 26), or prostacyclin (PGI2) (10.7 ng/kg/min; n = 26). Infusions were begun 15 minutes after initiating 85 minutes of SMA occlusion and were continued for a total of 90 minutes. Glucagon increased the 48-hour survival rate to 85%, significantly greater than both control survival (p less than 0.001) and normal saline solution group survival rates (p less than 0.025). Neither normal saline solution alone nor dopamine significantly increased the 48-hour survival rate, which was 54% in both groups. The PGI2 group survival rate, 65% at 48 hours, was significantly greater than the control rate (p less than 0.05), was not statistically different from the normal saline solution group survival rate, and was 20% less than the glucagon group survival rate, the latter difference approaching statistical significance (p = 0.10). Methylprednisolone (40 mg/kg; n = 26) administered as an intravenous bolus 15 minutes after initiating SMA occlusion significantly increased the 48-hour survival rate to 73% (p less than 0.01), whereas neither intravenous heparin (150 U/kg; n = 26) nor superoxide dismutase (11,900 U/kg; n = 26) were beneficial. Glucagon, methylprednisolone, and PGI2 improved the survival rate in this model of acute mesenteric ischemia.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004298:Dopamine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005934:Glucagon / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006493:Heparin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D008638:Mesenteric Arteries; D008641:Mesenteric Vascular Occlusion / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000401:mortality; D008775:Methylprednisolone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D006493:Heparin; D005934:Glucagon; D011464:Epoprostenol; D013482:Superoxide Dismutase; D004298:Dopamine; D008775:Methylprednisolone