RESUMO
Out of 17 mongrel dogs, 3 were subjected on one and two hours of hemorrhagic shock, while the remaining four served as controls. In five of the thirteen dogs, 30 mg/kg of methylprednisolone sodium succinate were administered intravenously one hour after hemorrhage. All animals were sacrificed at the end of the experiment, their lungs were removed and the sodium and water content was measured. The sodium content was found to be markedly increased at the end of two hours of hemorrhagic shock. This increase was prevented significantly by the administration of pharmacological doses of methylprednisolone given at one hour of hemorrhagic shock. No significant change in total lung water was noted, even after two hours of hemorrhagic shock. The results of this study suggest that early intravenous administration of large doses of methylprednisolone may be beneficial to patients in protracted hemorrhagic shock, who are at high risk of developing pulmonary complications.
