Chronic indomethacin administration blocks increased body temperature after burn injury in rats

This study investigates the hypothesis that continuous administration of in domethacin (a cyclo-oxygenase inhibitor) will chronically reduce body tempe rature (T-B) in burned rats (ie, modulate "true" fever). Male Sprague-Dawle y rats had radio transmitters and osmotic pumps (containing indomethacin) p laced in the peritoneal cavity, and 7 days later large full-thickness scald burns were produced. Activity and T-B were continually recorded through th e 14th postburn day (PBD). There were 4 experimental groups: burn + indomet hacin (B-In), n = 9; burn + polyethylene glycol (B-Peg), it = 6; control indomethacin (C-In), n = 9; and control + polyethylene glycol (C-Peg), rt = 6. From PBD 5 through PBD 10, the B-Peg group had consistently and signifi cantly higher T-B during light hours than the B-In, C-In, and C-reg groups. From PBD 7 through PBD 12, the B-In group had an average T-B during light hours significantly lower or not different than the C-In and C-Peg groups. These results support the hypothesis that in this burned-rat model chronica lly increased T-B during the light hours may be "fever" (rather than hypert hermia) and that the final effector Link could be a prostanoid because chan ges in activity do not explain the changes in body temperature.