Abstract
Summary
1. Systemic arterial blood pressure response of the dog to injection of Es-cherichia coli endotoxin is characterized by a sudden precipitous drop, a partial recovery and a subsequent slower decline over a period of hours. 2. Utilizing a device for quantitatively estimating changes in weight of organs in vivo, an increase in liver weight of from 80 to 350 g has been noted within one to 2 minutes following injection of E. coli endotoxin. 3. Simultaneous increase in weight of small intestine of lesser magnitude (28 to 170 g) was noted at the same time and is believed to be due to back pressure from the liver. Increase in liver and intestinal weight were believed to be quantitatively sufficient to account for the hypotension observed. 4. A difference in reaction of the liver and intestine was noted. Whereas the liver returns to normal weight within 5 to 25 minutes, the small intestine continues to increase in weight reaching a maximum of from 196 to 770 g approximately one hour following endotoxin injection. 5. The secondary hypotension due to endotoxin is believed to be at least partially the result of loss of blood in the small intestine due to vascular damage in this organ.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.