The efficacy of pentoxifylline as an anti-inflammatory agent in experimental Escherichia coli meningitis in the newborn piglet

This study was done to evaluate the anti-inflammatory effect and the ensuin g neuroprotective effect of pentoxifylline Tn neonatal experimental bacteri al meningitis. Newborn piglets were divided into three groups: 10 in the co ntrol group (CG), 13 in the meningitis group (MG), and 13 in the meningitis with pentoxifylline group (PG). Meningitis was induced by intracisternal i njection of 10(8) colony-forming units of Escherichia coli in 100 mu l of s aline. in PG, 20 mg/kg of pentoxifylline was given as a bolus intravenous i njection 30 min before induction of meningitis and 6 mg/kg/h was given cont inuously throughout the experiment. in PG, the increase of CSF TNF-alpha le vel observed in MG was abolished. Reduced brain glucose and ATP concentrati ons observed in MG were significantly increased in PG. However, other param eters of inflammatory responses such as increased intracranial pressure, re duced glucose and increased lactate concentrations in the CSF observed in M G were not significantly down-modulated. The extent of CSF leukocytosis was even higher in PG than in MG. Increased cerebral cortical cell membrane li pid peroxidation products and decreased Na+,K+-ATPase activity observed in MG, indicative of meningitis-induced brain cell membrane dysfunction, tende d to improve without statistical significance in PG. In summary, although s ome antiinflammatory effects have been observed, the overall anti-inflammat ory effects of pentoxifylline was very weak, and it failed to significantly reduce the brain damage in experimental neonatal bacterial meningitis. Cop yright (C) 2000 S. Karger AG, Basel.