LACTIC DEHYDROGENASE ACTIVITY IN LUNG LYMPH DURING HEMORRHAGIC SHOCK , RESUSCITATION AND RECOVERY

G Niehaus, JA Will, RH Demling

Abstract


Lactic dehydrogenase activity was determined in
lung lymph before, during and after hemorrhagic
shock to determine If this insult produced pulmo-
nary cellular damage. Lung lymph flow and lymph
protein content, reliable indice of fluid filtration
rate and microvascular protein permeability were
also monitored. The experiment was performed in
unanesthetized sheep with a chronic lung lymph
fistula. Lymph flow, lymph LDH and protein con-
tent did not change during the period of shock.
Lymph flow increasd significantly during resuscita-
tion but lymph LDH and protein content decreased
in relation to plasrna value indicating the sieving
effect of the microvascular membrane for protein
to be intact . Th increased flow was most likely
caused by an increase in microvascular hydrostatic
pressure. Plasma LDH was significantly increased
during the 72 hour recovery period with lymph
flow, lymph protein and lymph LDH being normal.
We therefore found that hemorrhagic shock pro·
duced a systemic cellular injury reflected in an in·
creased plasma LDH activity. No pulmonary cellular
damage was noted.


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