Septic shock in rats treated with terbutaline alone and in combination with chemotherapeutics, dexamethasone, and infusion of 3% albumin.

The effects of a beta 2-receptor agonist, terbutaline, on haematocrit and survival were studied in rats in which septic shock had been induced by intraperitoneal injection of a mean (SD) dose of 6.0 (4.5) x 10(8) live E. coli. Untreated septic animals developed haemoconcentration, the mean (SD) haematocrit increasing from 47.5 (1.4) to 53.1 (2.2). Mean (SD) survival time was 8.9 (0.6) hours, and no animal survived for 24 hours. Terbutaline given as the only treatment in doses of 0.1, 0.5, and 2.5 mg/kg before injection of E. coli significantly reduced the haemoconcentration, with haematocrit of 51.9, 46.6 and 47.9, respectively, at 4 hours. Survival was not significantly prolonged. When terbutaline was started 5.5 hours after injection of E. coli and given in addition to a chemotherapeutic drug (trimethoprim + sulphamethoxazole) and dexamethasone, haematocrit were reduced, 24 hour survival improved from 44% to 68%, and 7 day survival improved from 20% to 48%. We conclude that terbutaline given alone counteracts the loss of plasma volume during septicaemia and, when combined with a chemotherapeutic and dexamethasone, significantly improves long term survival.