Short-term effects of N-acetylcysteine and ischemic preconditioning in a canine model of hepatic ischemia-reperfusion injury.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the possibility that repeated ischemic preconditioning or N-acetylcysteine (NAC) could prevent ischemia-reperfusion injury as determined by indocyanine green plasma disappearance rate (ICG-PDR) or has favorable hemodynamic effects during reperfusion in an in vivo canine liver model.


METHODS
Under general anesthesia, 3 groups of mongrel dogs (n = 5 per group) were subjected to (1) 60-min hepatic ischemia, (2) same ischemia preceded by intravenous administration of 150 mg kg(-1) NAC, and (3) three episodes of IPC (10-min ischemia followed by 10-min reperfusion) prior to same ischemia. Hepatic reperfusion was maintained for a further 180 min, with hemodynamic and hepatic function parameters monitored throughout.


RESULTS
Plasma disappearance rate of indocyanine green and serum levels of aspartate transferase and alanine transferase showed no significant differences between groups. Although liver injury was obvious, reflected by hemodynamic, blood gas, and liver function tests, NAC and IPC failed to prevent decay in hepatic function in this canine model.


CONCLUSIONS
The results do not support the hypothesis that short-term use of NAC and IPC is beneficial in hepatic surgery.
Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Therapy, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary.
J
J
Baumann
S
S
Ghosh
T
T
Szakmany
G
G
Jancso
A
A
Ferencz
E
E
Roth
L
L
Bogar
D000111:Acetylcysteine / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood; D000818:Animals; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases / Q000097:blood; D004396:Coloring Agents / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D007208:Indocyanine Green / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D019194:Ischemic Preconditioning / Q000379:methods*; D008107:Liver Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015427:Reperfusion Injury / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000517:prevention & control*
D004396:Coloring Agents; D001219:Aspartate Aminotransferases; D000410:Alanine Transaminase; D007208:Indocyanine Green; D000111:Acetylcysteine