Pretreatment with glucose infusion prevents fatal outcome after hemorrhage in food deprived rats.

Twenty-four hour food deprivation increases mortality after experimental hemorrhage. Survival after hemorrhage is closely related to the capacity of the animal to develop hyperglycemia. In this study, 24 hr food deprived rats were given a 3-hr infusion of either 0.3 ml/100 g b.wt./h 30% glucose iv (n = 10) or the same volume of 0.9% NaCl (n = 10) prior to 60 min of standardized hemorrhage. Glucose infusion resulted in a transient hyperglycemia, and 600% greater hepatic glycogen content compared to saline (P < 0.001). During hemorrhage, glucose-treated rats developed substantial hyperglycemia while glucose levels fell in saline treated (P < 0.001). Concomitant developments in hematocrits indicated improved plasma refill in glucose treated animals (P < 0.01). While saline treated rats developed irreversible shock and died within 3 hr of bleeding, glucose treated rats had a MAP of 52 +/- 2 (mean +/- SEM) mm Hg by the end of hemorrhage (P < 0.01). All glucose-treated rats recovered and survived the seven-day observation period. It is concluded that glucose infusion leading to hepatic glycogen repletion alters outcome after experimental hemorrhage in food deprived animals. These experimental results may be of clinical relevance, since elective surgery is generally performed after overnight fasting, which substantially reduces the hepatic glycogen reserve.