Effectiveness of Steroid/Antibiotic Treatment in Primates Administered LD100 Escherichia coli

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Early aggressive therapy with maintenance infusions of methylprednisolone sodium succinate and gentamicin sulfate significantly increases the probability for survival of baboons given LD100 E. coli. The present study was designed to determine if baboons would recover when initiation of treatment was delayed until they had sustained E. coli-induced systemic hypotension for a period of .apprx. 3 h. Sixteen adult baboons were each administered a 2 h infusion of LD100 E. coli. All 8 untreated animals died within 42 h. Five of the 8 baboons treated after .apprx. 3 h of hypotension with methylprednisolone sodium succinate and gentamicin sulfate survived. Treated animals had significantly higher blood glucose and insulin levels and lower blood urea nitrogen concentrations than baboons receiving E. coli alone. E. coli blood concentrations were lower in the treated than in the untreated baboon group by the 6th h (< 0.02). Heart rates increased in all animals but were not as high in the treated baboons. Both groups experienced similar decreases in mean systemic arterial pressure, PCO2 [partial pressure of CO2], base excess, leukocyte, lymphocyte and platelet concentrations, and increases in creatinine and lactate concentrations. Data from the present study indicate that the probability of recovery from shock is significantly increased even when initiation of steroid/antibiotic therapy is postponed until baboons have experienced systained systemic hypotension.