[Changes in blood endotoxin levels after scald in rats].

We quantified the portal blood endotoxin level as well as the systemic blood endotoxin level after scald in rats. The results show that the portal blood endotoxin level is significantly higher than the systemic blood endotoxin level (P < 0.001) in control group. In scald group the portal blood endotoxin level shows double peaks (increase significantly at second hour, decrease to normal at sixth hour and increase significantly again at twelfth hour), but the systemic blood endotoxin level remained low (P > 0.05). The results indicate that there is some endotoxin in the portal blood in normal condition, but large amount of endotoxin escape into portal blood in normal condition, but large amount of endotoxin escape into portal blood from the intestine in early stage after scald, resulting in enterogenous endotoxemia. The origin of systemic endotoxemia is discussed in the present article.