title: Pulmonary complications of gastric fluid and bile salts aspiration, an experimental study in rat.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD) is one of the most common digestive disorders that frequently lead to pulmonary complications due to gastric fluid aspiration. In the present experimental study, chronic aspiration of gastric fluid, its components and bile salts in rat lung was performed to find out the main factor(s) causing pulmonary complications of gastric fluid aspiration.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty eight male rats weighted 250-300 g were selected in six groups. After anesthesia and tracheal cannulation, the animals received 0.5 ml/kg normal saline, 0.5 ml/kg of whole gastric fluid, 0.5 ml/kg pepsin (2.5 µg/ml), 0.5 ml/kg hydrochloric acid (pH=1.5) or 0.5 ml/kg bile salts (2.5 µg/ml) by injection into their trachea and lungs. In sham group nothing was injected.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Parenchymal and airways inflammation and fibrosis of bronchi, bronchioles and parenchyma were significantly more in the test groups compared to saline and sham groups (P<0.001); also inflammation in pepsin and bile salts groups (histopathology scores: 2.87±0.35 and 3.0±0.0 for bronchial, 2.87±0.35 and 2.87±0.35 for bronchioles, 2.87±0.35 and 2.87±0.35 for parenchymal inflammation) were more than hydrochloric acid and gastric fluid groups (1.75±0.46 and 2.5±0.53 for bronchial, 2.0±0.0 and 2.0±0.0 for bronchioles, 2.0±0.0 and 2.0±0.0 for parenchymal inflammation) (P<0.05). The same results were found for fibrosis, so that the fibrosis in pepsin and bile salts groups were more than hydrochloric acid and gastric fluid groups (P<0.05). Conclusion : The present results suggested that pulmonary complications causing from bile salts and pepsin might be more than gastric juice and hydrochloric acid.
authors.affiliation: Physiology Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Iran.
authors.forename: Mitra
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Samareh Fekri
authors.forename: Hamid Reza
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Poursalehi
authors.forename: Hamid
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Najafipour
authors.forename: Shahriar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dabiri
authors.forename: Mostafa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shokoohi
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Siahposht Khacheki
authors.forename: Nader
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Shahrokhi
authors.forename: Reza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Malekpour Afshar
authors.forename: Mohammad Reza
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Lashkarizadeh
keywords: Bile salts; Gastric fluid; Gastroesophageal reflux; Pulmonary fibrosis; Pulmonary inflammation