title: Experimental aspiration trauma: comparison of steroid treatment versus exogenous natural surfactant.
abstract: The therapeutic efficacy of dexamethasone and a natural pig surfactant preparation was investigated in a rabbit aspiration model. Lung injury was induced by intratracheal administration of 2 mL of a betaine hydrochloride-pepsin mixture per kilogram body weight (BW). Dexamethasone (n = 34) was given intravenously in two doses (D1 = 7.5 mg/kg BW; D2 = 3.75 mg/kg BW; D2 6 h post D1). In different groups D1 was injected at different times (T = -2, 0, +2, and +24 h) before and after aspiration. Natural surfactant (n = 5) was administered 24 h post lung injury in a single dose of 12 mg phospholipids per kilogram body weight. The therapeutic potential was evaluated by measuring static lung compliance and the difference in a lung volume between 0 and 20 mm Hg airway pressure. No therapeutic effect of dexamethasone was seen at any time of application. In contrast, the intratracheal administration of natural surfactant 24 h post injury completely reversed the deterioration of lung mechanic properties.
authors.affiliation: Ludwig Boltzmann Institute for Experimental and Clinical Traumatology, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Strohmaier
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schlag
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003907:Dexamethasone / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010313:Partial Pressure; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011817:Rabbits; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012129:Respiratory Function Tests
chemical_list: D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D003907:Dexamethasone; D010100:Oxygen