Pulmonary alveolar epithelial permeability in surgically induced hemorrhagic pancreatitis in dogs.

The adult respiratory distress syndrome has been associated with acute pancreatitis in 5-8% of patients. to determine, in a quantitative manner, the effects of acute, hemorrhagic pancreatitis on alveolar epithelial permeability, we studied two groups of dogs (group 1 - sham-operated, 7 dogs; group 2 - surgically induced pancreatitis, 7 dogs) and measured the flux of 10,000-20,000 molecular weight dextran and albumin (69,000 molecular weight), from the blood to the saline-filled lung. Following the surgical procedure (day 1), serum amylase levels increased significantly (397 +/- 70-1,268 +/- 95 dye units) in group 2 but not in group 1. Alveolar epithelial permeability (expressed as T1/2 time in minutes to 50% equilibration between blood and lung liquid) did not increase in either group for dextrans or albumin. We conclude that experimental acute pancreatitis does not cause an increase in alveolar epithelial permeability for molecular weight substances up to 69,000 daltons.