misoprostol and Escherichia-coli-Infections

Live E. coli were infused i.v. in cats to induce gastrointestinal mucosal injury and the gastric mucosa was exposed to bile and a luminal pH of 1. A gastric lesion index was calculated and intestinal injury was graded. The effects of i.v. methylprednisolone before and after induction of bacteremia were compared with those of intragastric misoprostol combined with i.v. superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase and with a control group. Methylprednisolone, but not misoprostol/SOD/catalase, significantly reduced the gastric lesion index (p less than 0.05). The duodenum/small intestine was significantly injured in 4/6, 2/6 and 4/6 cats in the misoprostol/SOD/catalase, methylprednisolone and control groups, respectively (NS). End gastric luminal pH was 3.9, 2.7 and 4.5 in the respective groups (p less than 0.05), with systemic arterial pH 7.15, 7.15 and 7.32 (NS). Mean arterial pressure and cardiac output were improved with methylprednisolone. Misoprostol/SOD/catalase reduced late hypotension. Pulmonary arterial pressure rose to c. 200% of basal in all groups. Methylprednisolone, but not misoprostol/SOD/catalase, thus protected the gastric mucosa from sepsis-induced gastric injury concomitant with reduced disappearance of protons from the gastric lumen, but did not significantly affect small-bowel damage. Hemodynamic responses were significantly improved in methylprednisolone-pretreated cats.

Topics: Acid-Base Equilibrium; Alprostadil; Animals; Anti-Ulcer Agents; Catalase; Cats; Drug Therapy, Combination; Escherichia coli Infections; Gastric Acidity Determination; Gastric Mucosa; Hemodynamics; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; Intestinal Mucosa; Methylprednisolone; Misoprostol; Multiple Organ Failure; Shock, Septic; Stomach Ulcer; Superoxide Dismutase