title: Nitric oxide contributes to surfactant-induced vasodilation in surfactant-depleted newborn piglets.
abstract: To investigate whether nitric oxide (NO) is involved in surfactant-induced systemic and pulmonary vasodilatation in newborn piglets with surfactant deficiency, 2-6-d-old piglets were subjected to repeated saline lung lavages. They were then randomly assigned to one of two groups (seven in each group): the N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) group received 3 mg/kg L-NAME i.v. 45 min before endotracheal instillation of 200 mg/kg porcine surfactant; the saline group received saline i.v. at the same time point, and instillation of 200 mg/kg surfactant. Mean arterial blood pressure, systemic vascular resistance, pulmonary arterial pressure, and pulmonary vascular resistance increased significantly after injection of L-NAME (all p < 0.01), whereas the cardiac index decreased significantly (p < 0.05). Saline injection did not change any variable. Significant decreases in mean arterial blood pressure (from a mean +/- SD of 66 +/- 10 to 53 +/- 9 mm Hg, p < 0.01), pulmonary arterial pressure (from 29 +/- 6 to 23 +/- 6 mm Hg, p < 0.01), and systemic vascular resistance (from 0.40 +/- 0.13 to 0.33 +/- 0.12 mm Hg/mL/min/kg, p < 0.05) were observed only in the saline group after surfactant instillation, whereas the decrease in pulmonary vascular resistance was not significant after surfactant instillation (p = 0.06). In contrast to the saline group, these variables were not modified in the L-NAME group after surfactant instillation. We conclude that the vasodilatory effect of porcine surfactant instillation in newborn piglets with surfactant deficiency is associated with activation of NO synthase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Research, The National Hospital, University of Oslo, Norway.
authors.forename: X Q
authors.initials: XQ
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Feet
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Moen
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Curstedt
authors.forename: O D
authors.initials: OD
authors.lastname: Saugstad
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn; D018893:Bronchoalveolar Lavage; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D007267:Injections; D007322:Instillation, Drug; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester / Q000494:pharmacology; D009569:Nitric Oxide / Q000502:physiology*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants / Q000172:deficiency / Q000502:physiology*; D012965:Sodium Chloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D013552:Swine; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; D011663:Pulmonary Surfactants; D009569:Nitric Oxide; D012965:Sodium Chloride; D019331:NG-Nitroarginine Methyl Ester