Local and systemic effects of hypertonic solution (NaCl 7.5%) in experimental acute pancreatitis.

Objectives: Severe acute pancreatitis (AP) is characterized by hemodynamic alterations and a systemic inflammatory response, leading to a high mortality rate. Treatment of hemorrhagic shock with hypertonic saline solutions significantly reduces mortality through an improvement in the hemodynamic conditions and possibly by an anti-inflammatory effect. Therefore, hypertonic solutions could be effective in AP.

Methods: Wistar rats were divided in 4 groups: group C, control, without AP; group NT, AP, without treatment; group NS, treatment with normal saline solution (NaCl 0.9%) 1 hour after AP; group HTS, treatment with hypertonic saline solution (NaCl 7.5%) 1 hour after AP. AP was induced by injection of 2.5% sodium taurocholate into the pancreatic duct. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate were recorded at 0 and 2, 4, 24, and 48 hours after AP. After induction of AP, animals were killed at 2, 12, 24, and 48 hours for serum amylase, interleukin (IL)-6, and IL-10 analysis, pancreatic tissue culture and histologic analysis, oxidation and phosphorylation of liver mitochondria, pulmonary myeloperoxidase activity (MPO), and mortality study.

Results: In animals of groups NS and NT, a significant decrease of MAP was observed 48 hours after AP (NS: 91 +/- 3 mm Hg; NT: 89 +/- 3 mm Hg) compared with baseline (C: 105 +/- 2 mm Hg) and to HTS group (HTS: 102 +/- 2 mm Hg; P < 0.05). In animals of group NT, NS, and HTS, serum IL-6 and IL-10 levels were significantly higher at 2 hours after AP compared with the control group. However, IL-6 levels at 12 hours after AP and IL-10 levels at 2 and 12 hours after AP were significant lower in group HTS compared with NS and NT groups (P < 0.05). In group HTS, a decrease of pulmonary MPO activity and of pancreatic infection was observed 24 hours after AP compared with NT and NS groups (P < 0.05). A significant reduction on pancreatic acinar necrosis and mitochondrial dysfunction was observed after 48 hours of AP in animals of group HTS compared with groups NT and NS (P < 0.05). A significant reduction on mortality was observed in HTS (0/14) compared with NS (6/17; 35%) and NT (7/20; 35%).

Conclusions: The administration of hypertonic saline solution in experimental AP attenuated hemodynamic alterations, decreased inflammatory cytokines, diminished systemic lesions and pancreatic acinar necrosis, prevented pancreatic infection, and reduced the mortality rate.