0589. Pravastatin exerts opposite effects on splanchnic microcirculatory oxygenation during sham or septic conditions in an animal model of polymicrobial sepsis

Methods The data derive from a total of 40 experiments on rats studied with approval of the local animal care and use committee. Pravastatin (0.2 mg/kg) or NaCl were injected subcutaneously 18 h prior to sepsis induction (colon ascendens stent peritonitis) or sham operation. 24 h after induction of sepsis the animals were re-laparotomized under general anaesthesia and received ongoing fluid replacement and pressure-limited ventilation for 120 min. Macrohemodynamic variables were recorded and microcirculatory oxygen supply (μDO2) and post-capillary oxygen saturation (μHbO2) of the colon were measured simultaneously via laser Doppler and tissue reflectance spectrophotometry, respectively. Data are presented as means ± SD, 2-way ANOVA followed by Dunnett (vs. baseline) or Tukey (between groups). Results 1.) In pravastatin pre-treated sham animals the microcirculatory oxygenation μHbO2 declined by 9.8 ± 9.4% with no change in the NaCl group. Figure 1. 2.) During sepsis pravastatin pre-treatment ameliorated the deterioration of μHbO2 (-5.5 ± 8.2%), compared to a significant decrease in the NaCl group (-8.4 ± 8.7%). Figure 2. 3.) Macrohaemodynamic variables and microcirculatory oxygen supply of the colon did not differ between the groups.