The study, led by researchers at the IDIBAPS Clinic in Barcelona, was carried out in pigs and recapitulates the features of the human disease, which will allow for new research to evaluate therapeutic strategies such as ECMO.
The fact that animal models of RDS do not faithfully reproduce the features of the human disease hinders translation of laboratory findings into clinical practice. “In these models, many of the stimuli used to damage lung tissue, such as intravenous oleic acid or endotoxin, have no relationship to the cause of disease in humans,” he noted. Enrique Barbetapostdoctoral researcher of IDIBAPS research group, applied to respiratory infection and critical illness, its leader Anthony Torres. “For this reason, we set out to create a porcine model induced by two of the most common risk factors in patients, pneumonia from bacterial infection and lung injury from mechanical ventilation.”
“A good model”
Based on the research findings, published in the journal ICU, Despite the support of mechanical ventilation, animals developed hypercapnia, an increase in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide in the blood due to a decreased respiratory rate. They have impaired oxygenation of the blood, reduced lung inflation, and edema or fluid accumulation in the lungs. at last, Bacterial infection leads to cardiovascular dysfunction, lung inflammation and alveolar damage, The small sac at the end of the bronchioles where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged with the blood.
“Given that all of these presentations remained constant throughout the experimental period (i.e. 96 hours), and that they were also very similar to those presented by patients, we believe our model is a good model for studying respiratory distress syndrome,” declared ANA Motorcyclethe principal author of the work is with Babette. “Especially the impact of mechanical ventilation, because animals receiving this support developed severe respiratory complications. In fact, these complications also occur in patients with respiratory distress syndrome and are life-threatening.”
ECMO, a possible alternative for patients with respiratory distress syndrome
Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, or ECMO, is an alternative for patient care.This mechanical ventilation system oxygenates and cleans the blood without intervention from the lungs, thereby Conducive to the recovery of these organs. “In the next few months, our team will start a porcine model study together with the Surgical Intensive Care Unit Clinic in Barcelona to evaluate the benefit of applying the ECMO system in the treatment of respiratory distress syndrome. Progress has been made in the development of protective and therapeutic strategies for this disease”, concludes Carlos Ferrando and Anthony Torres, who also participated in and led the study.
reference article: A Pig Model of Long-Term Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) Caused by Pneumonia and Ventilator-Induced Lung Injury