Effects of hyperbaric oxygen treatment on liver functions, oxidative status and histology in septic rats

The liver is thought to be responsible for multiple organ failure during sepsis. Increase in tissue oxygen consumption is a major component of the septic response. Hyperbaric oxygen (HBO) therapy provides more oxygenation in the whole body. This study examined the effect of HBO alone or in combination with cefepime (CEF) on the liver in septic rats.

We divided 90 male rats into six groups; control, HBO, sepsis (SEP), SEP+HBO, SEP+CEF, and SEP+CEF+HBO. Sepsis was induced with an intraperitoneal injection of Escherichia coli (2.1 x 10(9) cfu). A total of six HBO sessions were performed at 2 atm absolute for 90 min at 6-h intervals. CEF was administered intraperitoneally at a dose of 50 mg/kg twice daily. Animals were killed 48 h after sepsis induction. Their liver and blood were removed for biochemical and histopathological analysis.

Liver thiobarbituric acid reactive substances as well as serum alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase and alkaline phosphatase levels increased while the activity of the antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase and catalase decreased significantly in septic rats. These parameters returned to nearly control levels in the SEP+CEF+HBO group. Histological observations supported these findings: Hepatocellular degeneration was observed and intensive polymorphonuclear cell infiltration appeared in all fields of septic animal livers. HBO alone could not sufficiently reverse these histopathological changes, but most liver sections presented normal histology when it was combined with CEF.

HBO may be a useful adjuvant therapy modality to improve the efficacy of sepsis treatment.