Efeito protetor da dexametasona na lesão pulmonar induzida pela ventilação mecânica em ratos wistar

Abstract

Introduction: Ventilator induced lung injury (VILI) is characterized by inflammatory response to a non-physiological stress/strain imposed to the lungs, during mechanical ventilation (MV). Although it is known that, after the removal of the harmful stimulus, the lungs tend to recover, the effects of anti-inflammatory drugs on this recovery is still uncertain. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of dexamethasone on arterial blood gases, edema, inflammation, and lung histology at different times after VILI induction in Wistar rats. Methods: The animals were initially allocated into two groups according to the intraperitoneal administration of dexamethasone (dexamethasone group – DG, n=26), or saline (control group – CG, n=31). After 30 minutes, VILI was induced by one hour of MV with the following settings: tidal volume (VT) of 35 ml/Kg, respiratory rate (RR) of 18 /min, positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) of 0 cmH2O, and fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) of 100%. Then, the animals in the DG and the CG groups were allocated to be submitted to euthanasia at different times: 0, 4, 24 and 168 hours, after the injurious MV. Before euthanasia, they were anesthetized and ventilated for 10 minutes (VT of 6 ml/kg, RR of 80 /min, PEEP of 2 cmH2O, FIO2 of 100%) for stabilization, and arterial blood gases analysis. After euthanasia, lung edema, total and differential cell count in the bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid and lung histology were analyzed. A sham group (SG, n=6) was ventilated for 10 minutes with the same settings, and analyzed for comparisons with the CG and DG groups. Results: VILI was observed in the CG, which presented a higher acute lung injury score compared to the SG, at 0h, 4h and 24h (p <0.05). The dexamethasone decreased the lung injury, and the score in the DG was not significantly different from the SG, and was lower than the CG 4h and 24h (p <0.05). BAL neutrophil counts increased both in the CG and in the DG, peaking at 4h after MV (p < 0.05). However, the neutrophil counts reached lower levels in DG, compared to CG at 4h and 24h (p <0.05). Dexamethasone also improved the oxygenation impairment that was seen in the CG immediately after the injurious MV. Conclusions: In this experimental model, dexamethasone decreased the inflammation and the lung injury induced by mechanical ventilation with high VT. These findings highlight the importance of the biotrauma in the VILI pathogenesis, and the necessity of carrying out researches on anti-inflammatory therapies to prevent and treat this condition.