Estrogenic hormone modulation abrogates changes in red blood cell deformability and neutrophil activation in trauma hemorrhagic shock.

Background: Decreased red blood cell (RBC) deformability and activation of neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes [PMN]) after trauma-hemorrhagic shock (T/HS) have been implicated in the development of multiple organ dysfunction. Experimentally, female animals seemed to be protected from the effects of T/HS, at least in part, because of elevated estrogen levels. Thus, we examined the relative role of estrogen receptor (ER)-alpha and -beta in this protective response.