Effects of dexamethasone in hypoxic-ischemic brain injury in the neonatal rat.
To clarify the effects of corticosteroids in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, 7-day-old rats were subjected to unilateral common carotid artery ligation and hypoxia (Levine procedure) after being injected subcutaneously with saline, low-dose dexamethasone (4 mg/kg) or high-dose dexamethasone (40 mg/kg). Neither low-dose nor high-dose dexamethasone ameliorated the brain edema, lactacidemia, or hypoglycemia associated with hypoxia-ischemia. In addition, dexamethasone did not alter the pattern of neuropathologic damage or reduce the fall in brain high-energy phosphates. Finally, high-dose dexamethasone-treated animals experienced significantly more mortality than did either saline- or low-dose dexamethasone-treated animals. In this model of neonatal hypoxia-ischemia, dexamethasone did not confer any significant cerebral protection.
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001921:Brain / Q000187:drug effects / Q000473:pathology; D001929:Brain Edema / Q000188:drug therapy; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000187:drug effects; D005260:Female; D002534:Hypoxia, Brain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D007773:Lactates / Q000097:blood; D019344:Lactic Acid; D008297:Male; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains
D001786:Blood Glucose; D007773:Lactates; D019344:Lactic Acid; D003907:Dexamethasone