Metabolic effects of endotoxin in newborn rabbits

The metabolic and hormonal effects of Escherichia coli endotoxin injected intraperitoneally (IP) or into the cerebral ventricles (ICV) and that of passive hyperthermia were studied in rabbits aged 6-10 days. Irrespective of the route of administration, endotoxin caused a transient rise in blood glucose with a simultaneous rise in plasma insulin. In contrast, only in the IP, but not in the ICV group, the endotoxin resulted in a rise of the free fatty acid and a fall in the ketone body concentrations by the second hour. The blood level of pyruvate, lactate, alanine and glycerol was not altered by endotoxin. No parameter was affected by the injection of saline or passive hyperthermia.