Effect of cyclooxygenase and lipoxygenase products on pulmonary function in group B streptococcal sepsis.

The effects of the cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin, and the leukotriene receptor antagonist, FPL 57231, on changes in dynamic lung compliance and pulmonary resistance associated with a 1-h infusion of live group B streptococci were evaluated in mechanically ventilated piglets. To define mediators of early changes in lung function, animals were given an infusion of either FPL 57231 or indomethacin beginning 15 min after the infusion of group B streptococci was begun. These groups were compared to an untreated group who received only group B streptococci. Within 15 min of starting the bacterial infusion, all groups showed significant increases in pulmonary artery pressure, pulmonary artery wedge pressure, total pulmonary resistance, transpulmonary pressure, and thromboxane B2, and decreases in tidal volume, dynamic lung compliance, and PaO2. After treatment with indomethacin there were significant decreases in pulmonary artery pressure (mean +/- SEM; 48 +/- 1 to 22 +/- 3 mm Hg, p less than 0.001), pulmonary artery wedge pressure (7.5 +/- 1.3 to 2.2 +/- 0.4 mm Hg, p less than 0.001) and thromboxane B2 (6.51 +/- 1.56 to 1.01 +/- 0.27 ng/ml, p less than 0.01) and an increase in dynamic lung compliance (1.10 +/- 0.10 to 1.28 +/- 0.14 ml/cm H2O/kg, p less than 0.01) over the study period. Total pulmonary resistance decreased significantly (18.7 +/- 1.8 to 15.7 +/- 1.5 cm H2O/liter/s, p less than 0.02) only at 60 min.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)