[Effects of vaporized perfluorocarbon therapy on seawater respiratory distress syndrome in rabbit models].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the effects of vaporized perfluorocarbon therapy on pulmonary gas exchange and lung compliance in seawater respiratory distress syndrome rabbit models.


METHODS
After induction of seawater respiratory distress syndrome by means of intratracheal injection of seawater, 24 female New Zealand rabbits were randomly divided into 3 groups: (1) CMV group (n = 8): Animals were ventilated with equal tidal volumes of 8 ml/kg during gas ventilation for 6 h. (2) PFC group (n = 8): For the first 2 h, animals received vaporized PFC with volumes of 6 - 7 mlxkg(-1)xh(-1), followed by gas ventilation for 4 h. (3) control group (n = 8): No ventilation was administered. Physiological and blood gas data were compared among the 3 groups by analysis of variance. The right lung of each animal was cut into 2 or 3 slides which were fixed with 10% buffered formalin for pathological evaluation.


RESULTS
After lung injury, the measurements of lung compliance and oxygenation became significantly worse. After vaporized PFC for 30 min, lung compliance and oxygenation improved significantly as compared to the CMV group [(2 +/- 1) mm Hg/cm H2O vs (1 +/- 0) mm Hg/cm H2O (1 mm Hg = 0.133 kPa, 1 cm H2O = 0.098 kPa), F = 20, P < 0.05; (158 +/- 65) mm Hg vs (74 +/- 12) mm Hg, F = 26, P < 0.05]. After PFC inhalation, the improvement of oxygenation in PFC group lasted for 4 h [(253 +/- 96) mm Hg vs (78 +/- 19) mm Hg, F = 15, P < 0.05]. The lung injury score was also decreased in the PFC group compared to the CMV group (6.9 +/- 1.6 vs 9.8 +/- 1.3, chi(2) = 22, P < 0.05). All animals in the control group died in 15 min without ventilation.


CONCLUSIONS
Vaporized PFC improved oxygenation and lung compliance and attenuated lung injury in a rat model of seawater induced respiratory distress syndrome.
Zhao
Xiao-Wei
XW
Department of Respiratory Diseases, General Hospital of Armed Police Forces, Beijing 100039, China.
Zhang
Jian-Peng
JP
Huang
Xian
X
Liu
You-Ning
YN
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004332:Drowning; D005260:Female; D005466:Fluorocarbons / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011659:Pulmonary Gas Exchange; D011817:Rabbits; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D012138:Respiratory Therapy; D014835:Volatilization
D005466:Fluorocarbons