Indomethacin Improvement of Septic Acute Respiratory Failure in a Porcine Model

Abstract

The effects of indomethacin, a prostaglandin synthesis blocker, were tested in a porcine model of septic acute respiratory failure (ARF) produced by continuous infusion of live Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Control groups received indomethacin boluses (2 mg/kg) i.v. at 20 and 210 min or P. aeruginosa infusion (2 .times. 108 colony-forming units/20 kg/min). The treatment group received continuous P. aeruginosa infusion and indomethacin. Indomethacin alone transiently but significantly decreased cardiac indices, heart rate and alveolar CO2 tension. With P. aeruginosa infusion, significant pulmonary hypertension, hypoxemia, increased intrapulmonary shunt fraction and systemic hypotension occurred. In this porcine model of septic ARF, indomethacin doubled the survival period and improved cardiopulmonary parameters.