The effects of Antitrombin III on Lung Injury in a Model of Experimental aCute Pancreatitis

Year 2004, Volume: 5 Issue: 2, 11 - 14, 01.08.2004

Faruk Önder Aytekin Koray Tekin Burhan Kabay Mehmet Tekin Atilla Özer Yıldız Güney Akın Özden

Abstract

Background: Acute pancreatitis, especially in the severe form, is a well-known disease causing both local intra- abdominal and remote organ disturbances, including lungs. As a natural inhibitor of serine proteases, antithrombin was previously shown to attenuate the tissue damage after ischemia-reperfusion, sepsis, and shock in several organ systems. Here, we examined the effects of antithrombin on pulmonary injury in a rat acute pancreatitis model. Methods: Thirty male Wistar-Albino rats underwent median laparotomy and randomized into three groups: group I (control) bilio-pancreatic duct was dissected but not ligated (n=10), group II (acute pancreatitis group) bilio-pancreatic duct was ligated (n=10), and group III (AT treated group) AT III 250 U/Kg was injected following bilio-pancreatic duct ligation (n=10). After observation time (48 hours) animals were sacrificed and myeloperoxidase activity together with tissue wet/dry ratio in the lung parenchyma were assessed and compared. Results: There was a statistically significant increase in the quantity of myeloperoxidase activity and tissue wet/dry ratio of lungs in the acute pancreatitis group when compared to the control group. Treatment of animals with antithrombin partly reduced the pulmonary injury characterized by increased tissue wet/dry ratio and myeloperoxidase activity. But this reduction was not found to be statistically significant. Conclusion: Beneficial effects of AT in preventing pulmonary injury following experimental models of sepsis and ischemia-reperfusion have been reported previously. In our model of experimental acute pancreatitis, AT showed some attenuating effect on pulmonary injury despite it was limited when compared to that of ischemia- reperfusion and sepsis models. This result suggests that some other confounding factors may be involved in the mechanisms of pulmonary injury related to acute pancreatitis. We believe that further detailed studies are needed to elucidate the exact mechanisms of that injury.

Keywords

acute pancreatitis, lung injury, Antitrombin III

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