Increased Adrenal Secretion of Norepinephrine and Epinephrine after Endotoxin and Its Reversal

There are many articles in the medical and surgical literature investigating the diag-nosis, pathophysiology, and treatment of en-dotoxin shock. However, the information concerning catecholamine release after en-dotoxin is not well clarified. The present study was undertaken to describe precisely the dynamics of catecholamine release after endotoxin and, in addition, to ascertain the effect of pharmacologic doses of synthetic corticosteroids on the catecholamine re-sponse to endotoxin. MATERIALS AND METHODS Ten adult mongrel dogs, weighing between 15 and 25 kg, were studied under intravenous pentobarbital anesthesia, 30 mg/kg. A cuffed endotrachael tube was inserted and ventilation accomplished with a Harvard volume respirator using 98 % oxygen and 2% CO, at a tidal volume of 20 cc/kg. Intravenous Ringer’s lactate was ad-ministered at 100 cc/hr to all animals and the arterial pH was maintained in a physio-logic range with intravenous sodium bi-carbonate. Heparin was administered intravenously, 1 mg/kg, prior to cannula-tions and the same dose repeated hourly. Left adrenal vein to left femoral vein shunts were placed. A polyethylene catheter with a thermal dilution thermister attached was placed in the aortic arch via the caroti