BACKGROUND AND WORK HYPOTHESIS: The mechanisms of organ damage in MODS are unclear. Given that lipid peroxidation induced by oxygen radicals may play a key role in organ damage, expired ethane, a marker of lipid peroxidation, could be correlated to the entity and evolution of experimental MODS.
Study design and methods: Forty wistar male rats (250 +/- 15 g body weight) were intraperitoneally injected with 10 ml of Zymosan mineral oil suspension (2.5%) to provoke MODS. Survival and symptoms were noted daily. On the 2nd, 7th and 14th day the animals underwent thorax CT scanning. CT images were processed to evaluate the relative density of lung parenchima. Expired ethane was measured using mass spectrometer and percentual changes were noted. Relative organ weight (liver and lung) were measured in 2nd, 7th and 14th day.
Statistical analysis: Pearson's linear correlation.
Results: The results show that maximal lung damage took place at the same moments as ethane concentrations peaked. A strict correlation (r = 0.93; p < 0.0001) was found between lung density and expired ethane. Strict correlation was found between organ weight, symptoms, survival and ethane production.
Conclusions: Lipid peroxidation, as expressed by ethane production, might be an important cause of organ damage in MODS.