The effect of pentoxifylline on the pulmonary response to high tidal volume ventilation in rats.
BACKGROUND
Volume-induced lung injury is associated with lung inflammation. Pentoxifylline inhibits cytokine release and modulates neutrophil function.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of pentoxifylline in the attenuation of lung inflammation induced by high tidal volume ventilation.


METHODS
Adult rats were randomly assigned to receive saline as placebo or pentoxifylline (100mg/kg over 30 min, followed by 50mg/kg/h) before and during 4h of high tidal volume ventilation (20 ml/kg). Bronchoalveolar fluid inflammatory mediators were measured at baseline and after 4h of ventilation. Lung tissue myeloperoxidase activity and wet/dry lung weight were assessed upon completion of the study.


RESULTS
Bronchoalveolar tumor necrosis factor-alpha (pentoxifylline vs. placebo; 192+/-61 vs. 543+/-99 pg/ml; p<0.007) and thromboxane B(2) (262+/-26 vs. 418+/-49 pg/ml; p<0.02) concentrations, lung myeloperoxidase activity (0.5+/-0.1 vs. 1.2+/-0.2U/mg; p<0.003) and wet/dry weight (6.1+/-0.2 vs. 7.1+/-0.3; p<0.01) were all significantly lower in the pentoxifylline-treated group.


CONCLUSIONS
Pentoxifylline was effective in reducing inflammatory lung injury associated with high tidal volume ventilation.
Lessa
Andrea
A
Department of Pediatrics (R-131), Division of Neonatology, University of Miami, Miller School of Medicine, PO Box 016960, Miami, FL 33101, USA.
Suguihara
Cleide
C
Xianyu
Shuming
S
Hehre
Dorothy
D
Devia
Carlos
C
Bancalari
Eduardo
E
D000818:Animals; D001992:Bronchoalveolar Lavage Fluid / Q000166:cytology; D005260:Female; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000378:metabolism*; D008168:Lung / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000276:immunology; D010431:Pentoxifylline / Q000494:pharmacology*; D009195:Peroxidase / Q000378:metabolism; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology*; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000209:etiology / Q000276:immunology*; D011897:Random Allocation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000009:adverse effects*; D013929:Thromboxane B2 / Q000378:metabolism; D013990:Tidal Volume
D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D010726:Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors; D013929:Thromboxane B2; D009195:Peroxidase; D010431:Pentoxifylline