Superior Effects of Nebulized Epinephrine to Nebulized Albuterol and Phenylephrine in Burn and Smoke Inhalation-Induced Acute Lung Injury

Satoshi Fukuda, Ernesto Lopez, Koji Ihara, Yosuke Niimi, Clark R. Andersen, Sam Jacob, Robert Cox, Jose D. Rojas, Donald S. Prough, Perenlei Enkhbaatar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

8 Scopus citations

Abstract

The severity of burn and smoke inhalation-induced acute lung injury (BSI-ALI) is associated with alveolar and interstitial edema, bronchospasm, and airway mucosal hyperemia. Previously, we have reported beneficial effects of epinephrine nebulization on BSI-ALI. However, the underlying mechanisms of salutary effects of nebulized epinephrine remain unclear. The present study compared the effects of epinephrine, phenylephrine, and albuterol on a model of BSI-ALI. We tested the hypothesis that both α1- and β2-agonist effects are required for ameliorating more efficiently the BSI-ALI. Forty percent of total body surface area, 3rd-degree cutaneous burn, and 48-breaths of cotton smoke inhalation were induced to 46 female Merino sheep. Postinjury, sheep were mechanically ventilated and cardiopulmonary hemodynamics were monitored for 48 h. Sheep were allocated into groups: control, n=17; epinephrine, n=11; phenylephrine, n=6; and albuterol, n=12. The drug nebulization began 1 h postinjury and was repeated every 4h thereafter. In the results, epinephrine group significantly improved oxygenation compared to other groups, and significantly reduced pulmonary vascular permeability index, lung wet-to-dry weight ratio, and lung tissue growth factor-β1level compared with albuterol and control groups. Epinephrine and phenylephrine groups significantly reduced trachea wet-to-dry weight ratio and lung vascular endothelial growth factor-A level compared with control group. Histopathologically, epinephrine group significantly reduced lung severity scores and preserved vascular endothelial-cadherin level in pulmonary arteries. In conclusion, the results of our studies suggest that nebulized epinephrine more effectively ameliorated the severity of BSI-ALI than albuterol or phenylephrine, possibly by its combined α1- and β2-agonist properties.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)774-782
Number of pages9
JournalShock
Volume54
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Dec 1 2020

Keywords

  • Acute lung injury
  • airway hyperemia
  • epinephrine
  • smoke inhalation injury
  • vascular permeability

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Critical Care and Intensive Care Medicine
  • Emergency Medicine

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