Endothelin concentrations in experimental sepsis: profiles of big endothelin and endothelin 1-21 in lethal peritonitis in rats
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1Department of Surgical Oncology, Norwegian Radium Hospital, Oslo.
Objective:
To define the profiles of endothelin (ET), both big ET and active 21 amino acid ET (ET 1-21) in the plasma and peritoneal cavity of rats with peritonitis.
Design:
Open laboratory study.
Setting:
University hospital, Norway.
Material:
170 adult male Wistar rats.
Interventions:
Lethal peritonitis was induced by making a 4 mm caecal perforation.
Main Outcome Measures:
Mortality, together with concentrations of total ET, ET 1-21 (measured by two radioimmunoassays), bacteria, endotoxin, tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin 6 (IL-6), and lactate at baseline, two hours, and then four-hourly intervals for 24 hours.
Results:
ET reached its maximum at 8 hours, and had returned to baseline after 24 hours. In the first phase of septicaemia there was more big ET than ET 1-21, but the proportions had equalised by 8 hours. There were higher concentrations of both big ET and ET 1-21 in peritoneal fluid than in plasma.
Conclusions:
In rats with peritonitis the profiles of big ET and ET 1-21 closely followed mortality, and blood concentrations of bacteria, endotoxin, TNF, IL-6, and lactate.