Effect of phenytoin on smoke inhalation injury in sheep.

To determine whether the anti-inflammatory effects of phenytoin might reduce cardiopulmonary dysfunction we studied the effects of phenytoin treatment on acute lung injury induced by smoke inhalation. Twenty-one chronically instrumented sheep were observed for 24 h after smoke inhalation injury. Myocardial contractility was evaluated by left ventricular end-systolic pressure-diameter relationship (LVESPDR) with a pair of ultrasonic transducers and strain-gauge transducer. In the control group (n = 6), uninjured sheep were given a bolus of phenytoin (12.5 mg/kg). Smoke-insufflated sheep were divided into nontreatment (n = 7) and phenytoin (n = 8) groups. Phenytoin alone had no effects in uninjured sheep except an early rise in heart rate and LVESPDR. In the group given smoke without treatment, there was a significant increase in pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance index and a decrease in cardiac index. Pulmonary vascular changes were attenuated by treatment with phenytoin. Pulmonary transvascular fluid flux was evaluated by using a lung lymph fistula. LVESPDR fell in the smoke group but not in the group given phenytoin. There was a marked increase in lung lymph flow with smoke inhalation but this phenomenon was not affected by phenytoin treatment. In conclusion, phenytoin treatment reduced early hemodynamic depression.