Burn injury causes mesenteric vasoconstriction and bacterial translocation.
Since catecholamines are powerful vasoconstrictors and elevated immediatel
y after burn injury, we hypothesised that adrenaline tolerance might decrea
se bum-induced mesenteric vasoconstriction and bacterial translocation. Adr
enaline tolerance was developed in Swiss albino mice. Adrenaline tolerant a
nd control animals were subdivided into sham-burn and burn subgroups. 24 h
after sham-burn or burn injury, specimens were obtained for microbiological
evaluation. Also, in a separate group of adrenaline tolerant and control a
nimals, superior mesenteric blood flow was measured. Burn injury increased
bacterial translocation rate in both control (P = 0.001) and adrenaline tol
erant groups (P = 0.0351). The caecal bacterial level increase was signific
ant after burn injury in control groups (P = 0.0004) but was not significan
t in adrenaline tolerant animals (P = 0.743). Mesenteric blood flow was dec
reased significantly by burn injury in both control and adrenaline tolerant
animals (P < 0.00001). The results showed that catecholamines do not media
te postburn mesenteric vasoconstriction or bacterial translocation.