title: Use of activated protein C has no avail in the early phase of acute pancreatitis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sepsis and acute pancreatitis have similar pathogenetic mechanisms that have been implicated in the progression of multiple organ failure. Drotrecogin alfa, an analogue of endogenous protein C, reduces mortality in clinical sepsis. Our objective was to evaluate the early therapeutic effects of activated protein C (APC) in a rat model of acute necrotizing pancreatitis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Acute necrotizing pancreatitis was induced by intraductal injection of 5% Na taurocholate. Hourly bolus injections of saline or recombinant human APC (drotrecogin alfa) was commenced via femoral venous catheter four hours after the induction of acute pancreatitis. The experiment was terminated nine hours after pancreatitis induction. Animals in group one (n=20) had a sham operation while animals in group two (n=20) received saline and animals in group three (n=20) received drotrecogin alfa boluses after acute pancreatitis induction. Pancreatic tissue for histopathologic scores and myeloperoxidase, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, and catalase activities were collected, and blood for serum amylase, urea, creatinine, and interleukin-6 measurements was withdrawn.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Serum amylase activity was significantly lower in the APC treated group than the untreated group (17,435+/-432 U/L vs. 27,426+/-118 U/L, respectively). While the serum interleukin-6 concentration in the APC untreated group was significantly lower than the treated group (970+/-323 pg/mL vs. 330+/-368 pg/mL, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In the early phase of acute pancreatitis, drotrecogin alfa treatment did not result in a significant improvement in oxidative and inflammatory parameters or renal functions.
authors.affiliation: Ege University Hospital Gastroenterology Department, Izmir, Turkey. sinanakay72@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Sinan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Akay
authors.forename: Omer
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ozutemiz
authors.forename: Cigdem
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Yenisey
authors.forename: Nilufer Genc
authors.initials: NG
authors.lastname: Simsek
authors.forename: Gul
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Yuce
authors.forename: Yucel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Batur