HYPOTHERMIA INHIBITS THE ALVEOLAR EPITHELIAL INJURY CAUSED BY HYPOSMOTIC ALBUMIN SOLUTION DURING PRESERVATION OF THE RESECTED HUMAN LUNG

This study was conducted to determine whether hypothermia inhibited al veolar epithelial injury in the resected human lung during preservatio n, Hyposmotic albumin solution, 248 mOsm/kg, was instilled into the al veolar spaces of resected human lungs which were inflated with an airw ay pressure of 7 cmH(2)O and stored at either 37 degrees C or 8 degree s C for 4h, Alveolar fluid was aspirated and the influx of lactate deh ydrogenase (LDH) and globulin into the alveolar spaces, as markers of alveolar epithelial injury, was measured. Ion transport and fluid clea rance across the alveolar epithelium were calculated by the changes in electrolyte and albumin concentrations in the alveolar fluid, respect ively. While the LDH levels and globulin concentrations increased sign ificantly in the hyposmotic experiments at 37 degrees C, hypothermia i nhibited these increases. Alveolar fluid clearance at 37 degrees C inc reased to 20% in the hyposmotic experiments compared with 12% in the c ontrol isosmotic experiments; however, sodium and chloride transport i n the hyposmotic experiments was not significantly different from that in the isosmotic experiments. Thus, we conclude that hypothermia at 8 degrees C inhibits alveolar epithelial injury caused by the hyposmoti c solution in resected human lungs. Moreover, alveolar ion and fluid c learance mechanisms were preserved across the injured alveolar epithel ial cells.