Correlations between endotoxin, interferon-gamma, biopterin and serum phospholipase A2-activities during lethal gram negative sepsis in rats.
OBJECTIVE
To establish a standardised reproducible animal model of intraperitoneal sepsis, and to investigate early immunoserological responses to find a mediator-based system for evaluation and grading of diffuse peritonitis in patients


METHODS
Prospective experimental study


METHODS
4 Teaching hospitals, Germany and Austria


METHODS
42 LEW. 1W rats, 12 of which acted as controls


METHODS
Gram negative sepsis was induced by intraperitoneal injection of 6 ml of a mixture of Escherichia coli (K1:H+) 10(10) organisms/ml, autogenous haemoglobin 2.9 ml (haemoglobin concentration 3%), 0.9% sodium chloride 3 ml, and suspension 0.1 ml. Control rats were given physiological saline 6 ml alone.


METHODS
Concentrations of endotoxin, interferon gamma (IFN-gamma), and biopterin, and serum phospholipase A2 (PLA2) activity.


RESULTS
There were significant differences between the septic and control rats in concentrations of endotoxin (EU/ml) (median (interquartile range) 21.85 (2.02-159.5) compared with 0, p < 0.0001; IFN-gamma (pg/ml) 1263.0 (271.0-7575.0) compared with 101.0 (89.0-141.0), p < 0.0001; biopterin (nmol/L) 111.0 (66.4-156.3) compared with 53.7 (38.3-67.6), p < 0.001; and PLA2 (U/L) 163.0 (125.8-209.0) compared with 112.5 (88.5-126.5) p < 0.01.


CONCLUSIONS
Measurements of concentrations of endotoxin, IFN-gamma, pteridines, and PLA2 activity may well be adequate markers for early recognition of sepsis, and perhaps for grading it during the first 6 hours after induction. The allow a clear distinction to be made between septic and non-septic disorders in 87% of cases.
Hunsicker
A
A
Dept. of Surgery, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt-University, Greifswald, Germany.
Kullich
W
W
Weissenhofer
W
W
Lorenz
D
D
Petermann
J
J
Rokos
H
H
Schwesinger
G
G
D000818:Animals; D001708:Biopterins / Q000097:blood; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004731:Endotoxins / Q000097:blood; D016905:Gram-Negative Bacterial Infections / Q000097:blood*; D007371:Interferon-gamma / Q000097:blood; D010532:Peritoneal Diseases / Q000097:blood*; D010741:Phospholipases A / Q000097:blood; D054467:Phospholipases A2; D051381:Rats; D011917:Rats, Inbred Lew; D018805:Sepsis / Q000097:blood*
D004731:Endotoxins; D001708:Biopterins; D007371:Interferon-gamma; D010741:Phospholipases A; D054467:Phospholipases A2