ILOPROST ATTENUATES TRAUMA-RELATED PULMONARY SEQUESTRATION OF LEUKOCYTES AND PLATELETS

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of iloprost, a synthetic prostacyclin analogue, on the pulmonary cellular trapping after a standardized soft tissue trauma. In two groups 1 and 2 ilopros t was given in doses of 100 ng/kg/min commencing 30 and 20 min respect ively prior to trauma and ceasing 10 min after trauma. Indium-111-oxin e was used to label neutrophils in 6 animals from each group. Platelet s were labelled in 6 and 7 animals respectively. A third group of 11 p igs served as a control and did not receive iloprost. The pulmonary se questration of platelets and neutrophils was studied dynamically with a gamma camera and directly after trauma was significantly less in gro up 1 when compared to the control group. A rise in pulmonary vascular resistance and pulmonary arterial pressure was seen in the control gro up immediately after trauma but this was not evident in the iloprost g roups. PaO2 decreased significantly in group 1 and 2 during the ilopro st infusion. The results indicate that iloprost attenuates the pulmona ry cellular sequestration and changes in central hemodynamics during t rauma in this model.