Catecholamines Reduce Dose-dependent Oedema Formation and Inflammatory Reaction in an Isolated Rat Lung Model

Aim: Since we detected that donor dopamine pretreatment ameliorates lung function after hypothermia and ischaemia/reperfusion in an isolated rat lung model we studied, whether other catecholamines have beneficial effects on lungs. Materials and Methods: Rats were treated with noradrenaline, adrenaline or dobutamine in different doses. Thereafter lungs were explanted, flushed with Perfadex (R) solution and stored at 4 degrees C for different time periods. Oedema production was measured and inflammatory mediators were analysed after reperfusion and ventilation. Results: Low-dose noradrenaline or dobutamine did not reduce tissue oedema after eight hours of hypothermia, whereas higher doses significantly reduced oedema formation. Low-dose catecholamines did not prevent the inflammatory response, whereas higher doses of beta-receptor-stimulating catecholamines significantly blunted inflammatory reaction. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that adrenergic-receptor-stimulating catecholamines have a protective dose-dependent effect on lungs after hypothermia and ischaemia/reperfusion. Although noradrenaline and dobutamine have similar dose-dependent organ-protective effects to dopamine, they have more side-effects.