title: Bronchial circulation after experimental lung transplantation. The effect of long-term administration of prednisolone.
abstract: The effect of corticosteroids on bronchial healing after modified left lung transplantation was investigated in pigs. In groups I (n = 6) and II (n = 6), animals received cyclosporine (15 mg/kg per day) and azathioprine (2 mg/kg per day). In group II, prednisolone (1 mg/kg per day) was also administered. Bronchial blood flow was estimated at the donor carina and donor second carina with laser Doppler velocimetry and radioisotopes 7 days postoperatively; macroscopic and microscopic assessments of graft airways were performed. Bronchial blood was calculated relative to the recipient carina. In group II, bronchial blood flow at the donor carina and donor second carina was significantly higher than that of group I. Macroscopic assessment revealed more pronounced ischemic changes in group I (5 of 6 animals) than in group II (2 of 6 animals, p = not significant). Microscopically, airway samples from the donor carina revealed marked destructive changes in five of six animals in group I. In group II, only mild ischemic changes, which were limited to the respiratory epithelium, were seen. We concluded that the administration of prednisolone results in improved bronchial blood flow and decreased bronchial ischemia after lung transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Hannover Medical School, Germany.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Inui
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Schäfers
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aoki
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Becker
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ongsiek
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kemnitz
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Haverich
authors.forename: H G
authors.initials: HG
authors.lastname: Borst
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001775:Blood Circulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D001980:Bronchi / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000187:drug effects; D007511:Ischemia / Q000188:drug therapy; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply / Q000473:pathology; D016040:Lung Transplantation; D008297:Male; D011239:Prednisolone / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013552:Swine
chemical_list: D011239:Prednisolone