WEANLING AND ADULT-RATS DIFFER IN FATTY-ACID AND CARNITINE METABOLISMDURING SEPSIS

Increased oxidation of fat is an important host response to sepsis, an d carnitine is essential for long-chain fatty acid oxidation. Because neonates have low levels of carnitine, their ability to respond to a s eptic insult may be impaired. The purpose of this study was to compare fatty acid and carnitine metabolism in septic weanling (60 to 85 g) a nd septic adult (285 to 310 g) rats. Sepsis was induced in weanling an d adult male Sprague-Dawley rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). The rats were killed 16 hours after CLP or sham operation, and serum glucose, lactate, beta-hydroxybutyrate, fatty acid, carnitine, liver f atty acid, and tissue carnitine levels were measured. The data suggest that during sepsis weanling rats may be more dependent on fatty acid oxidation than adult rats are, as evidenced by their elevated serum fa tty acid and acylcarnitine levels, and relative hypoglycemia and hyper ketonemia. In addition, although total serum carnitine levels were inc reased in both adult and weanling septic rats, tissue carnitine levels of weanling rats became significantly depleted during sepsis, unlike in adult rats. This study supports further investigation regarding the role of exogenous carnitine in newborn sepsis. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company.