Pre-treatment with ozonized oxygen (O3) aggravates inflammation in septic rats.
OBJECTIVE
Ozone is produced by neutrophils during bacterial killing. Its application was found to be beneficial in peritonitis patients. Therefore, we measured survival and cytokines after ozone pre-treatment in septic rats.


METHODS
With approval, 40 male Wistar-rats were allocated to 1) ozone pre-treatment for five days before intra-abdominal sepsis, or 2) no pre-treatment.


METHODS
The primary endpoint was mortality at 120 h. Secondary endpoints were plasma cytokine levels.


RESULTS
In the control group mortality was 50% (10/20 rats). After ozone pre-treatment, survival was only 35% (7/20 rats, Log-Rank test: P = 0.10). Ozone increased TNF-alpha and MIP-2 after infection: 127 +/- 23 pg/ml and 94 +/- 19 pg/ml (control group: 398 pg/ml and 369 pg/ml; P < 0.002 and P < 0.01). IL-6 levels were similar in both groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Ozone pre-treatment was pro-inflammatory in sepsis with a trend to reduced survival. Therefore, its effects in sepsis should be further evaluated in animal trials.
Torossian
A
A
Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, University of Marburg, Baldingerstrasse 1, 35033, Marburg, Germany. torossia@med.uni-marburg.de.
Ruehlmann
S
S
Eberhart
L
L
Middeke
M
M
Wulf
H
H
Bauhofer
A
A
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D007249:Inflammation / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000150:complications* / Q000473:pathology; D007267:Injections; D008297:Male; D010126:Ozone / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011292:Premedication; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000473:pathology*; D016019:Survival Analysis
D010126:Ozone