Role of thromboxane A2 in muscle injury following ischaemia

✍ Scribed by S. Homer-Vanniasinkam; J. N. Crinnion; Mr M. J. Gough

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1994
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 350 KB
• Volume: 81
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0007-1323
• DOI: 10.1002/bjs.1800810714

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

The effect of a thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist (GR32191) on gastrocnemius muscle blood flow, oedema and viability was assessed in a rodent model of 6-h unilateral hindlimb ischaemia and 4-h reperfusion, and the results compared with those in control and normal groups, and in animals undergoing 6-h ischaemia alone. Control animals demonstrated reduced muscle blood flow throughout reperfusion (at 10 min, P <0·01 versus normal, P not significant versus ischaemia; at 120 min, P <0·5 versus normal and ischaemia; at 240 min, P <0·01 versus normal, P not significant versus ischaemia), and the development of muscle oedema (P <0·01 versus normal and ischaemia) and muscle necrosis (P <0·01 versus normal and ischaemia). In contrast, the thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist enhanced muscle blood flow (at 10 min, P <0·01 versus control; at 120 min, P <0·05 versus control; at 240 min, P <0·01 versus control) and preserved muscle viability (P <0·01 versus control; P not significant versus normal and ischaemia). These results indicate that thromboxane A2 is an important mediator of skeletal muscle reperfusion injury and suggest that administration of a thromboxane A2 receptor antagonist may improve limb salvage rates after surgery for acute ischaemia.