Thromboxane A2-receptor blockade and prostacyclin in porcine Escherichia coli shock
E. Svartholm, D. Bergqvist, U. Hedner, J. Ljungberg and U. Haglund
Department of Surgery, Lund University, Malmo, Sweden.
Septic shock was induced by intravenous infusion of live Escherichia coli
in pigs to investigate the influences on central hemodynamic, coagulation,
and fibrinolytic reactions by a thromboxane A2 (TxA2)-receptor blocker (BM
13.177; n = 6) and a prostacyclin analogue (iloprost or ZK 36,374; n = 7).
The early pulmonary vasoconstriction following E coli infusion was
attenuated, but not abolished, by BM 13.177. Only minor effects were seen
after pretreatment with iloprost. Neither drug had any major effect on the
coagulation and fibrinolytic activation. These results confirm that TxA2 is
an important, but not the only, mediator of early pulmonary vascular
response in porcine septicemia and that neither TxA2 nor prostacyclin is of
major importance for the hemostatic reactions in this shock model.
