LUMINAL GLUTAMINE PERFUSION ALTERS ENDOTOXIN-RELATED CHANGES IN ILEALPERMEABILITY OF THE PIGLET

Background: The objective of this study was to investigate whether lum inal perfusion with glutamine or with oxygenated glutamine solutions p revents endotoxin-induced changes in mucosal permeability. Methods: Th ree 15-cm segments of distal ileum were isolated in anesthetized 21-da y-old piglets (n = 4) and perfused (50 mL/h) with Ringer's lactate sol ution, Ringer's lactate solution with 2% glutamine (wt/vol), glutamine , or glutamine purged with oxygen at 37 degrees C for 280 minutes. Pla sma-to-lumen clearances of Cr-51-EDTA and urea were measured to assess mucosal permeability. At time 0 minutes, loading and maintenance IV i nfusions of markers were begun. Baseline permeabilities were obtained from time 60 to 80 minutes, and IV endotoxin (50 mu g/kg) was introduc ed from time 80 to 140 minutes. Results: Results are expressed as the ratio of the clearances of the two probes (C-EDTA/C-UREA). Permeabilit y increased from baseline in loops perfused with Ringer's lactate solu tion vs loops perfused with glutamine purged with oxygen and with glut amine alone (p < .01). Saturation with roxygen was without effect inas much as glutamine alone negated permeability increases. Intestinal mye loperoxidase activity did not differ with perfusate (p > .05). Conclus ions: These data suggest that endotoxin-induced permeability changes c an be prevented or delayed by the supply of luminal glutamine at the t ime of insult.