OBJECTIVE: To investigate the metabolic response as measured by microcalorimetry and the phagocytic activity or peritoneal macrophages that had been harvested from jaundiced and normal rats and incubated with Escherichia coli in vitro. DESIGN: Open laboratory study. SETTING: University departments of surgery and immunology. MATERIAL: 12 Male Sprague-Dawley rats. INTERVENTIONS: Ligation and transsection of the common bile duct (n = 6) or sham operation (n = 6). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Metabolic response (pW/cell) measured by microcalorimetry and phagocytic function assessed by light microscopy after Giemsa stain two weeks after operation. RESULTS: The mean (SEM) maximal metabolic response of macrophages and the metabolic rate one hour after inoculation with E coli were significantly reduced in jaundiced rats compared with controls (6.95 (1.95) compared with 27.39 (7.24), p = 0.005, and 5.50 (1.05) compared with 20.10 (3.35) p = 0.016, respectively) as were the number of E coli phagocytosed by macrophages harvested from jaundiced animals (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSION: The reduced metabolic response and phagocytosis of E coli by peritoneal macrophages in rats by biliary obstruction is a sign of depressed reticuloendothelial function. This mechanism may explain the high incidence of infective complications inpatients with obstructive jaundice.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the metabolic response as measured by microcalorimetry and the phagocytic activity or peritoneal macrophages that had been harvested from jaundiced and normal rats and incubated with Escherichia coli in vitro. DESIGN: Open laboratory study. SETTING: University departments of surgery and immunology. MATERIAL: 12 Male Sprague-Dawley rats. INTERVENTIONS: Ligation and transsection of the common bile duct (n = 6) or sham operation (n = 6). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Metabolic response (pW/cell) measured by microcalorimetry and phagocytic function assessed by light microscopy after Giemsa stain two weeks after operation. RESULTS: The mean (SEM) maximal metabolic response of macrophages and the metabolic rate one hour after inoculation with E coli were significantly reduced in jaundicedrats compared with controls (6.95 (1.95) compared with 27.39 (7.24), p = 0.005, and 5.50 (1.05) compared with 20.10 (3.35) p = 0.016, respectively) as were the number of E coli phagocytosed by macrophages harvested from jaundiced animals (p = 0.0002). CONCLUSION: The reduced metabolic response and phagocytosis of E coli by peritoneal macrophages in rats by biliary obstruction is a sign of depressed reticuloendothelial function. This mechanism may explain the high incidence of infective complications inpatients with obstructive jaundice.