Hypovolemia is a main factor behind disturbed perfusion and metabolism in the intestine during endotoxemia in cat.

Disturbances in intestinal metabolism and perfusion during SIRS can be direct effects of toxic substances, and/or effects secondary to hypovolemia. An attempt to evaluate the significance of hypovolemia for intestinal disturbances during SIRS was made in the present study on feline by evaluating the degree to which the intestinal alterations following endotoxin infusion were restored by a clinically relevant volume infusion. The results were compared with control animals treated identically except that they were not given a volume infusion. We analyzed effects of a colloid infusion during endotoxemia on intestinal perfusion, and on the metabolites lactate, pyruvate, glucose, and glycerol in the intestinal wall, the latter by a microdialysis technique. Arterial and central venous blood pressures, and superior mesenteric artery blood flow were measured, and intestinal oxygen delivery and uptake were calculated. To evaluate to what extent a restoring effect of a colloid infusion was dependent on the type of colloid solution used, three different colloids with about the same volume expanding effects (6% albumin, 6% dextran 70 and 6% hydroxyethyl starch, n = 3 x 6) were tested randomly and blinded. Four hrs after start of endotoxin (1 mg/kg + 1 mg/kg/h), the colloid was infused at a rate of 5 mL/kg for 30 min followed by 2.5 mL/kg/h. Endotoxin caused a marked deterioration of perfusion and metabolic parameters. Most of these parameters turned towards normalization, though not fully reaching baseline values within 4 hrs after start of the colloid infusion. In the control experiments (n = 4), the endotoxin-induced deteriorations persisted or were aggravated during the corresponding time period. The results indicated that hypovolemia is an essential factor but not the only one behind alterations in metabolism and perfusion in the intestine during SIRS, and the alterations can be significantly reduced by adequate volume substitution. In this respect no differences could be seen between the three colloids tested.