NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Studies in healthy volunteers show that a phospholipid infusion may help neutralize endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide), researchers report in the May 1st issue of The Journal of Infectious Diseases.
“The next step is to determine whether this emulsion can be an effective therapy for endotoxemia in patients,” lead investigator Dr. Bruce R. Gordon of the Rogosin Institute in New York City told Reuters Health.
Bacteria-derived lipopolysaccharide is associated with morbidity and death in patients with severe sepsis, Dr. Gordon and colleagues note. In a porcine sepsis model, animals receiving a phospholipid emulsion had a survival rate of 80% versus 17% in untreated controls.
To investigate further, the researchers studied 20 healthy volunteers who received an Escherichia coli endotoxin infusion intravenously along with an infusion of phospholipid emulsion or placebo.
Compared with placebo subjects, those given the phospholipid had significantly lower mean clinical scores, temperature, pulse rate, neutrophil count and tumor necrosis-alpha and interleukin 6 levels.
Dr. Gordon noted that “GlaxoSmithKline is investigating the effects of this emulsion in a large multicenter phase II clinical trial of septic patients.”
“Our research suggests that lipids and lipoproteins, by binding endotoxin, may have beneficial clinical effects -- therefore having too low a cholesterol level might not be desirable,” he added.
Source: J Infect Dis 2005;191:1515-1522. [ Google search on this article ]
MeSH Headings:Chemistry: Chemistry, Analytical: Clinical Trials: Endotoxins: Environment and Public Health: Epidemiologic Methods: Evaluation Studies: Health: Health Occupations: Health Services Administration: Medicine: Investigative Techniques: Neutralization Tests: Physical Sciences: Population Characteristics: Preventive Medicine: Public Health: Quality of Health Care: Septicemia: Specialties, Medical: Epidemiologic Study Characteristics: Titrimetry: Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation: Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms: Sepsis Syndrome: Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment: Biological Sciences: Health Care: Physical SciencesCopyright © 2002 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. Reuters and the Reuters sphere logo are registered trademarks and trademarks of the Reuters group of companies around the world.
