Effect of conjugated estrogen on disseminated intravascular coagulation induced by endotoxin infusion in rabbits

Since conjugated estrogen has activities of inhibiting capillary permeability and of blocking alpha-adrenergic action, this study was undertaken to evaluate the effect of conjugated estrogen on experimentally induced disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) by endotoxin infusion in rabbits. Endotoxin from E. coli alone was infused into 17 rabbits in a rate of 90 micrograms/kg/hr for 10 hr, the other 17 were given endotoxin with 20 mg of conjugated estrogen, and 6 were infused 20 mg of conjugated estrogen alone. The results obtained were as follows: (1) Decreases in platelet, fibrinogen and plasminogen, prolonged prothrombin time and partial thromboplastin time were noted in animals receiving intravenous drip infusion of endotoxin. All these laboratory findings were typical of consumption coagulopathy. Histologically, fibrin thrombi were demonstrated in the glomeruli, which also indicated the presence of DIC. (2) These changes were almost equally demonstrable in the rabbits given endotoxin alone and in those with endotoxin plus conjugated estrogen. (3) The group of rabbits receiving endotoxin and estrogen, however, showed a significantly low mortality during the study, compared with the group receiving endotoxin alone.