Corticosteroids prevent acute lung dysfunction caused by thoracic irradiation in unanesthetized sheep

Journal Article · Tue Nov 01 00:00:00 EST 1988 · Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1164/ajrccm/138.5.1227· OSTI ID:6394288

Loyd, J E; Bolds, J M; Wickersham, N; Malcolm, A W; Brigham, K L

We sought to determine the effect of corticosteroid therapy in a new acute model of oxidant lung injury, thoracic irradiation in awake sheep. Sheep were irradiated with 1,500 rads to the whole chest except for blocking the heart and adjacent ventral lung. Seven experimental sheep were given methylprednisolone (1 g intravenously every 6 h for four doses) and thoracic irradiation; control sheep received only irradiation. In irradiated control sheep, lung lymph flow increased from baseline (7.6 ml/h) to peak at 3 h (13.2), and lung lymph protein clearance increased from 5.1 to 9.7 ml/h. Mean pulmonary artery pressure increased in the irradiated control sheep from 19 to 32.4 cm H/sub 2/O, whereas the lung lymph thromboxane concentration increased from 0.09 to 6.51 ng/ml at 3 h. Arterial oxygen tension in irradiated control sheep fell gradually from 86 mm Hg at baseline to 65 mm Hg at 8 h. Methylprednisolone administration significantly prevented the increase in lung lymph protein clearance, mean pulmonary artery pressure, and lung lymph thromboxane concentration. Methylprednisolone also prevented the fall in arterial oxygen tension after thoracic irradiation, but did not prevent a further decrease in lymphocytes in blood or lung lymph after radiation. We conclude that corticosteroid therapy prevents most of the acute physiologic changes caused by thoracic irradiation in awake sheep.

• Research Organization: Vanderbilt Univ. School of Medicine, Nashville, TN (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6394288
• Journal Information: Am. Rev. Respir. Dis.; (United States), Vol. 138:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

63 RADIATION, THERMAL, AND OTHER ENVIRON. POLLUTANT EFFECTS ON LIVING ORGS. AND BIOL. MAT.
CORTICOSTEROIDS
RADIOSENSITIVITY EFFECTS
LUNGS
BIOLOGICAL RADIATION EFFECTS
BIOMEDICAL RADIOGRAPHY
CHEST
LYMPH
PROTEINS
SHEEP
ADRENAL HORMONES
ANIMALS
BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BODY
BODY AREAS
BODY FLUIDS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DOMESTIC ANIMALS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
KETONES
MAMMALS
MATERIALS
MEDICINE
NUCLEAR MEDICINE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PREGNANES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIOLOGY
RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
RUMINANTS
STEROIDS
VERTEBRATES
560152* - Radiation Effects on Animals- Animals