Sepsis in the young rat: maternal milk protects during cecal ligation and puncture sepsis but not during endotoxemia.

Cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) sepsis and the impact of maternal milk were studied in young rats from 10 to 28 days of age. Ten- and 14-day-old rats were highly resistant to CLP; 24 hr survival was 90% and 97%, respectively. However, survival decreased to 55% and 30%, respectively, in 21- and 28-day-old rats. No differences in plasma glucose and lactate were seen in rats from 10 to 18 days of age, but 21-day-old rats became significantly hypoglycemic and hyperlacticacidemic after CLP. In rats maintained on an exclusive maternal milk diet from 14 to 21 days of age, survival after CLP was improved (55% versus 94%); P less than .05), hypoglycemia did not occur, and hyperlacticacidemia was blunted. But this protective effect of maternal milk was not observed during endotoxemia in the young rat. These results suggest important differences between the models of CLP sepsis and endotoxemia in the young rat.