Physiological effects of corticosteroids in foodstuff aspiration
J. W. Wynne, F. J. DeMarco and C. I. Hood
Aspiration of gastric contents that contain small food particles has been
shown to cause severe pneumonitis, even when the pH of the aspirate is
greater than 2.5. The effects of corticosteroids on the hemodynamic and
ventilatory consequences of this type of aspiration have not been
investigated. Twenty healthy mongrel dogs were anesthetized and 2 mL/kg of
gastric contents (pH 5.9) that contained small food particles were
injected into their tracheas. Group 1 animals (controls, N = 10) received
no therapy. Group 2 animals (steroid-treated, N = 10) were given
methylprednisolone intravenously, 30 mg/kg, three times a day beginning one
hour after aspiration. The animals were observed for 14 days, during which
time there were no statistically significant differences between the groups
in mortality, PaCO2, pH, systemic and pulmonary arterial blood pressures,
fractional intrapulmonary shunt, or histological findings. Arterial PO2 was
lower at 24 hours in group 2 dogs than in group 1 dogs. We conclude that
steroids are of no benefit in the treatment of foodstuff-induced aspiration
pneumonia.
