Anti-endotoxin Hyperimmune Globulin Attenuates Portal Cytokinaemia, Phagocytic Cell Priming, and Acute Lung Injury after Lower Limb Ischaemia-reperfusion Injury

Objectives Acute limb ischaemia is a common and often lethal clinical event. Reperfusion of an ischaemic limb has been shown to induce a remote gut injury associated with transmigration of endotoxin into the portal and systemic circulation, which in turn has been implicated in the conversion of the sterile inflammatory response to a sepsis syndrome, after lower torso ischaemia-reperfusion injury. This study tests the hypothesis that an anti-endotoxin hyperimmune globulin attenuates ischaemia-reperfusion (I/R) associated sepsis syndrome. Design Prospective, randomised placebo controlled trial, animal experiment. Materials and methods Experimental porcine model, bilateral hind limb I/R injury, randomised to receive anti-endotoxin hyperimmune globulin or placebo. Results Bilateral hind limb I/R injury significantly increased intestinal mucosal acidosis, portal endotoxaemia, plasma cytokine (TNF-alpha, IL-6, IL-8) concentrations, circulating phagocytic cell priming and pulmonary leukosequestration, oedema, and capillary-alveolar protein leak. Conversely, pigs treated with anti-endotoxin hyperimmune globulin (IgG) 20 mg/kg at onset of reperfusion had significantly reduced portal endotoxaemia, early circulating phagocytic cell priming, plasma cytokinaemia and attenuation of acute lung injury. Conclusions Endotoxin translocation across a hyperpermeable gut barrier, phagocytic cell priming and cytokinaemia are key events of limb I/R injury induced systemic inflammation and acute lung injury. This study shows that an anti-endotoxin hyperimmune globulin attenuates portal endotoxaemia, which may reduce early phagocytic cell activation, cytokinaemia and ultimately acute lung injury.