AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 261, Issue 5 1313-R1320, Copyright © 1991 by American Physiological Society
Measurement of D-xylose gut absorptive capacity in conscious rats
G. Singh, K. I. Chaudry, L. C. Chudler, P. J. O'Neill and I. H. Chaudry
Department of Surgery, Michigan State University, East Lansing 48824.
Recently, it has become evident that the gut plays a central role in the
development of multiple organ failure in the critically ill patient after
trauma-hemorrhage and sepsis. However, it remains unknown whether gut
absorptive capacity (GAC) is altered under those conditions. The aim of
this study, therefore, was to use a rat model for GAC measurements
independent of the function of other organs and to determine whether GAC is
altered after trauma. Rats (n = 79; 250-325 g) were lightly anesthetized
with ether, and a 6-cm midline laparotomy was performed (i.e., trauma
induced). A nasogastric tube was inserted and after cannulation of various
blood vessels, the animals were allowed to recover from anesthesia. They
were then divided into various groups for determinations of GAC over a
period of 5 days. Control animals had GAC measurements without any surgery
being performed on them. GAC was determined using the 1-h D-xylose
absorption test and measuring D-xylose concentration in the portal blood.
Results demonstrate that GAC 1) is significantly depressed for the first 48
h after trauma, 2) returns to normal 72 h after trauma, and 3) is further
depressed by hemorrhage and resuscitation and by sepsis after trauma. Thus
the model described here can be used to investigate the effects of trauma,
trauma plus hemorrhage, trauma plus sepsis, hemorrhage alone, and sepsis
alone on GAC, independent of the function of other organs.
