Comparison of Shenfu Injection () and epinephrine on catecholamine levels in a porcine model of prolonged cardiac arrest.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the effects of Shenfu Injection (SFI) and epinephrine (EPI) on catecholamine levels in a porcine model of prolonged cardiac arrest (CA).


METHODS
After 8 min of untreated ventricular fibrillation, 24 Wuzhishan miniature pigs were randomly assigned to one of the three groups (n=8 per group) and received central venous injection, respectively: SFI group (1 mL/kg), EPI group (20 μg/kg EPI), and normal saline (NS) group. Cardiac output (CO), maximum rate of increase/decrease in left ventricular pressure (±dp/dt), serum levels of EPI, norepinephrine (NE), and dopamine (DA) were determined at baseline and at 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 h after restoration of spontaneous circulation.


RESULTS
The duration of cardiopulmonary resuscitation was shorter in the EPI and SFI groups than in the NS group (P<0.05). The EPI level increased significantly after restoration of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) in all three groups, and was significantly different between the EPI group and the other two groups immediately after ROSC (both P<0.01), but these differences gradually disappeared over time. There were no significant differences in NE or DA levels among the three groups, and there were no correlations between catecholamine levels and CO or dp/dt (P>0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
SFI did not significantly affect endogenous catecholamine levels during cardiopulmonary resuscitation after prolonged ventricular fibrillation. However, SFI improved oxygen metabolism, and produced a better hemodynamic status compared with EPI. SFI might be a potentially vasopressor drug for the treatment of CA.
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China.
Da
D
Zhang
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China. lcscyyy@163.com.
Chun-Sheng
CS
Li
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China.
Zhi-Jun
ZJ
Guo
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China.
Wen-Peng
WP
Yin
Department of Emergency Medicine, Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing, 100020, China.
Xiao-Min
XM
Hou
D000818:Animals; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000187:drug effects; D016887:Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000097:blood* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D007267:Injections; D019344:Lactic Acid / Q000097:blood; D034421:Sus scrofa
D002395:Catecholamines; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; C492793:Shen-Fu; D019344:Lactic Acid; D004837:Epinephrine
Shenfu Injection; cardiac arrest; cardiopulmonary resuscitation; catecholamine; ventricular fibrillation