Prostacyclin reversal of lethal endotoxemia in dogs

Severe endotoxemia, a condition where microembolization and intravascular coagulation are thought to play important roles, was treated experimentally with prostacyclin (PGI(2)). In a study of 24 dogs, 8 control animals injected with 1.75 mg.kg(-1) of endotoxin died within 24 h. Six animals given intravenous aspirin 100 mg/kg, 30 min after endotoxin died. 9 of 10 dogs infused with 100 ng PGI(2).kg(-1).min(-1) for 3 h, given 30 min after the injection of endotoxin survived 24 h (P < 0.025). Injection of endotoxin resulted in a: (a) maximal 62% fall in mean arterial pressure (P < 0.001); (b) transient doubling of mean pulmonary arterial pressure (P < 0.001); (c) initial 70% drop in cardiac index (P < 0.001); (d) decline in blood platelets from 213,700 to 13,700/mm(3) (P < 0.001), and leukocytes from 7,719 to < 750/mm(3) (P < 0.001); (e) depressed urine output (P < 0.001); (f) 34% decrease in blood fibrinogen (P < 0.01) and an increase in fibrin degradation products > 50 mug/ml (P < 0.001); (g) fivefold increase in circulating cathepsin D titer (P < 0.005) and (h) increase in blood norepinephrine (P < 0.005), dopamine (P < 0.005), and epinephrine (P < 0.001). Aspirin treatment led to an increase in mean arterial pressure (P < 0.001) and mean pulmonary arterial pressure (P < 0.005), but cardiac index, urine flow, platelets, leukocytes, fibrin degradation products, and cathepsin D levels remained similar to untreated controls. After infusion of PGI(2) there was a: (a) prompt increase of cardiac index to base-line levels; (b) late increase in mean arterial pressure (P < 0.005) after the discontinuation of PGI(2) treatment (c) restoration of urine output; (d) increase in circulating platelets to levels still below base line but above untreated control animals (P < 0.05); (e) no effect on circulating leukocyte levels; (f) fall in fibrin degradation products to 11.2 mug/ml (P < 0.05); (g) decline in cathepsin D levels to values 60% lower than the untreated controls (P < 0.025); and (h) reduction in plasma norepinephrine levels to base line at 4 h (P < 0.005). Although the mode of PGI(2) action is not clear, it is effective in the treatment of experimental endotoxemia.