title: Mild hypothermia protects against ischaemia-reperfusion injury in rabbit skeletal muscle.
abstract: In three groups of rabbits, the rectus femoris muscle was subjected to 4 hours of total ischaemia. In Group 1 (normothermia, n = 5) the core temperature was maintained within the range 36-38 degrees C for the duration of ischaemia. In Group 2 (total hypothermia, n = 5) the core temperature was allowed to fall to 31.5-33.5 degrees C. In Group 3 (muscle only hypothermia, n = 5) core temperature was maintained as in Group 1 but the muscle temperature was allowed to fall to 29.5-31.5 degrees C. After 24 hours of reperfusion the muscles were harvested and measurements made of muscle viability, oedema and myeloperoxidase content. The mean (s.e.m.) muscle viability of Group 1, 19.5 (3.8)%, was significantly less than that of both Group 2, 86.0 (2.0)%, and Group 3, 87 (4.1)%, (P < 0.001). Muscle oedema and myeloperoxidase levels were elevated in all experimental groups, but differences were not significant. These findings indicate that ischaemia-reperfusion injury in skeletal muscle in this model is highly temperature-sensitive, small reductions in muscle temperature during ischaemia providing significant protection against ischaemia-reperfusion injury.
authors.affiliation: Bernard O'Brien Institute of Microsurgery, St Vincent's Hospital, Fitzroy, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Y T
authors.initials: YT
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: D A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Lepore
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Riccio
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Hickey
authors.forename: A J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Penington
authors.forename: P G
authors.initials: PG
authors.lastname: Hayward
authors.forename: J V
authors.initials: JV
authors.lastname: Hurley
authors.forename: W A
authors.initials: WA
authors.lastname: Morrison
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001831:Body Temperature; D004487:Edema / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D007036:Hypothermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000473:pathology; D009135:Muscular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D011817:Rabbits; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D009195:Peroxidase