EFFICACY OF CUROSURF IN A RAT MODEL OF ACUTE RESPIRATORY-DISTRESS SYNDROME

Curosurf, a natural lung surfactant, is considered a potential candida te for improving the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), To investigate this in a rat model of early-stage ARDS, Curosu rf (62.5, 125 or 250 mg.kg(-1)) was administered by intratracheal bolu s at 10 or 24 h following an intratracheal lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 1. 6 mg.kg(-1)) challenge. Survival, respiratory frequency (fR), lung wet weight (LWW), total protein and cell differentiation in bronchoalveol ar lavage fluid (BALF) were assessed, Curosurf treatment at 10 h after LPS challenge resulted in 100% survival at both 62.5 and 125 mg.kg(-1 ); at a dose of 250 mg.kg(-1) administered at 10 h after LPS, 1 out of 6 animals died. At a dose of 125 mg.kg(-1) Curosurf administered at 2 4 h after LPS, 1 out of 6 animals died. In contrast, only 35% of anima ls survived when not treated with Curosurf, Curosurf treatment resulte d in an improved fR and in a significantly decreased LWW, total protei n and number of polymorphonuclear cells in BALF, In conclusion, Curosu rf treatment improved respiratory frequency and decreased mortality, p ulmonary oedema and inflammation. As the decreased mortality was obser ved in spontaneously breathing nonoxygenated animals, the results cann ot be extrapolated to human artificially ventilated acute respiratory distress syndrome patients with the expectation of a decreased mortali ty, The results suggest, however, that Curosurf may be an important th erapeutic measure in early-stage acute respiratory distress syndrome.