Potential complications associated with normothermic lonidamine infusion and with systemic acidosis in dogs receiving lonidamine during whole body hyperthermia (WBH).

The vascular toxicosis of lonidamine (40 mg/h) or vehicle infusion was investigated in six dogs. Vasculitis and thrombosis were observed in veins infused with lonidamine but not in veins infused with vehicle. This finding suggests that it may not be possible to use lonidamine infusion to circumvent therapeutic limitations associated with the oral lonidamine formulation currently used in patients. We also investigated the systemic toxicosis of lonidamine (400 mg/m2; rapid intravenous bolus) or vehicle in six other dogs that developed systemic acidosis (pH < or = 7.0) during whole body hyperthermia (42 degrees C x 90 min). Gross and histologic haemorrhage was observed in all dogs; however, haemorrhagic lesions in acidotic dogs receiving lonidamine + WBH were more severe than changes observed in acidotic dogs receiving vehicle + WBH. These observations confirm the results of in vitro studies which suggest that the combined effect of lonidamine and hyperthermia is enhanced under acidic conditions. Furthermore, these findings indicate that acid-base status of patients receiving lonidamine during WBH must be monitored carefully to avoid serious complications.