IS ALLOPURINOL BENEFICIAL IN THE PREVENTION OF RENAL ISCHEMIA-REPERFUSION INJURY IN THE RAT - EVALUATION BY NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY

1. The role of allopurinol in the protection of kidney function follow ing ischaemia-reperfusion injury has been investigated using the novel technique of near-infrared spectroscopy. 2. An in vivo model of rat k idney ischaemia was used, with the expected falls in blood and tissue oxygenation seen and confirmed by near-infrared spectroscopy. 3. Allop urinol infusion increased the rate of reperfusion of oxygenated blood seen in control rats (P<0.05). 4. Allopurinol enhanced the rate of tis sue oxygenation during early reperfusion (P<0.01). 5. This study provi des further evidence for the proposed benefits of allopurinol in ischa emia-reperfusion injury. Furthermore, the potential of near-infrared s pectroscopy as a technique of value in interventional studies of this nature is confirmed.