SEPSIS PROTECTS THE HEART OF ALCOHOLIC RATS FROM ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSIONINJURY

We have previously shown that administration of Escherichia coli to a rat induces cardiac dysfunction, but also prevents the myocardium from being further damaged by total ischemia. We have also previously show n that induction of sepsis in a rat that has consumed alcohol as 36% o f its caloric intake for 8-10 weeks, results in a potentiation of the cardiac depression resulting from sepsis. In this study, we determined if administration of Gram-negative bacteria to a chronically alcoholi c rat would still protect the heart from ischemia-reperfusion injury. We tested the protective effect of sepsis using an in vitro, isovolumi cally contracting heart preparation. Global ischemia was maintained fo r 35 min, followed by 25-min reperfusion. In the present experiments, sepsis produced a 40% decrease in cardiac performance, but was also pr otective of hearts made ischemic the next day. Hearts from septic and alcoholic septic rats recovered 100% of preischemic ventricular functi on after 35-min ischemia, whereas hearts from the control and alcohol groups recovered only 80% of preischemic left ventricular performance. Whereas preischemic function was significantly decreased in the septi c groups compared with the two nonseptic groups, postischemic function was no longer significantly different in the four groups. Thus, sepsi s resulted in development of protection of the hearts from ischemia-re perfusion injury, even in hearts that were severely compromised by the combination of chronic alcoholism and Gramnegative sepsis.