title: L-arginine administration during reperfusion improves pulmonary function.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nitric oxide is crucial to the maintenance of vascular homeostasis. Because nitric oxide levels decline upon lung reperfusion, infusion of L-arginine, a nitric oxide precursor, during reperfusion might prove effective at ameliorating reperfusion injury.
  
  
  METHODS
  Neonatal piglet heart-lung blocks were preserved with Euro-Collins solution for 12 hours, rewarmed at room temperature for 1 hour, and reperfused for 10 minutes with either whole blood (n = 5), whole blood containing L-arginine (10 mmol/L; n = 6), or leukocyte-depleted blood (n = 6) on an isolated, blood-perfused, working heart-lung circuit. After the initial 10 minutes, all blocks received whole blood for 4 hours. Control blocks were continuously perfused on the circuit without intervening ischemia (n = 6).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The partial pressure of oxygen in the whole blood group (113.8 +/- 33.1 mm Hg) was significantly less than in controls (417.3 +/- 6.2 mm Hg; p < 0.01). Lung compliance was significantly less in the whole blood group (0.8 +/- 0.2 mL/cm H2O) than in controls (2.9 +/- 0.4 mL/cm H2O; p < 0.01). The L-arginine and leukocyte-depleted blood groups showed no significant difference from controls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  L-Arginine infusion during reperfusion improves pulmonary function, making it a simple alternative to leukocyte depletion.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University of California, Los Angeles, Medical Center 90095, USA.
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shiraishi
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Laks
authors.forename: P F
authors.initials: PF
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Meneshian
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Blitz
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Johnson
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lam
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Chang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D001120:Arginine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006321:Heart / Q000503:physiopathology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008168:Lung / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008170:Lung Compliance; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000378:metabolism; D009926:Organ Preservation; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013318:Stroke Volume; D013552:Swine; D014655:Vascular Resistance
chemical_list: D009569:Nitric Oxide; D001120:Arginine; D010100:Oxygen