Ethamsylate and lung permeability in ventilated immature newborn rabbits

The leakage of proteins in the immature neonatal lung can reduce the effect of exogenous surfactant. The effect of ethamsylate, a more specific prostaglandin inhibitor than indomethacin and aspirin-like drugs, on alveolar albumin leak was studied in a group of 27 immature newborn rabbits (gestational age 27 days). A pilot study was carried out using 4 animals and low-dose ethamsylate (10 mg/kg). A second group of animals (n = 12) received at birth, by intravenous injection, ethamsylate (50 mg/kg) and 10% human albumin (7 ml/kg). Animals not receiving ethamsylate (n = 11) served as control group. After 30 min of artificial ventilation with standard tidal volume (10 ml/kg) the lungs were lavaged and the amount of human albumin in lung lavage fluid was determined by immunodiffusion. No statistically significant differences were found in lung-thorax compliance and vascular to alveolar albumin leak between ethamsylate-treated animals and controls (p > 0.5). However, there was a statistically significant negative correlation between protein leak and lung compliance (r = -0.41; p < 0.04). These results suggest no direct influence of early ethamsylate administration on neonatal lung permeability in the immature neonate confirming that lung permeability is inversely related to compliance.