Effects of acetylsalicylic acid and prostaglandin on endotoxin-induced pulmonary platelet sequestration.

Previous experimental studies have shown that soft tissue trauma and endotoxin shock cause pulmonary platelet trapping. In the soft tissue trauma model it has been found that this event can be obviated by pretreatment with aspirin and prostaglandin E1 in combination. This study was made to determine the effect of these two drugs on endotoxin-induced pulmonary platelet trapping. Dogs with 51Cr-tagged platelets were injected with 20 mg endotoxin E. coli. The dogs were kept in shock for 2 hours and then sacrificed. The dogs were kept in shock for 2 hours and then sacrified. The amount of platelet sequestration in the lungs was determined by measuring the 51Cr activity in the lungs. The results of the study showed that prostaglandin alone decreases pulmonary platelet trapping induced by endotoxin, but aspirin, either alone or together with prostaglandin E1, has no positive effect. This could be explained by the fact that acetylsalicylic acid depresses endogenous prostaglandin, and thus decreases the blood concentration of available prostaglandin.