Effect of Polyethylene-glycolated Carboxyhemoglobin on Renal Microcirculation in a Rat Model of Hemorrhagic Shock

Editor’s Perspective What We Already Know about This Topic What This Article Tells Us That Is New Background Primary resuscitation fluid to treat hemorrhagic shock remains controversial. Use of hydroxyethyl starches raised concerns of acute kidney injury. Polyethylene-glycolated carboxyhemoglobin, which has carbon monoxide–releasing molecules and oxygen-carrying properties, was hypothesized to sustain cortical renal microcirculatory Po2 after hemorrhagic shock and reduce kidney injury. Methods Anesthetized and ventilated rats (n = 42) were subjected to pressure-controlled hemorrhagic shock for 1 h. Renal cortical Po2 was measured in exposed kidneys using a phosphorescence quenching method. Rats were randomly assigned to six groups: polyethylene-glycolated carboxyhemoglobin 320 mg · kg−1, 6% hydroxyethyl starch (130/0.4) in Ringer’s acetate, blood retransfusion, diluted blood retransfusion (~4 g · dl−1), nonresuscitated animals, and time control. Nitric oxide and heme oxygenase 1 levels were determined in plasma. Kidney immunohistochemistry (histologic scores of neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin and tumor necrosis factor-α) and tubular histologic damages analyses were performed. Results Blood and diluted blood restored renal Po2 to 51 ± 5 mmHg (mean difference, −18; 95% CI, −26 to −11; P < 0.0001) and 47 ± 5 mmHg (mean difference, −23; 95% CI, −31 to −15; P < 0.0001), respectively, compared with 29 ± 8 mmHg for hydroxyethyl starch. No differences between polyethylene-glycolated carboxyhemoglobin and hydroxyethyl starch were observed (33 ± 7 mmHg vs. 29 ± 8 mmHg; mean difference, −5; 95% CI, −12 to 3; P = 0.387), but significantly less volume was administered (4.5 [3.3–6.2] vs. 8.5[7.7–11.4] ml; mean rank difference, 11.98; P = 0.387). Blood and diluted blood increased the plasma bioavailability of nitric oxide compared with hydroxyethyl starch (mean rank difference, −20.97; P = 0.004; and −17.13; P = 0.029, respectively). No changes in heme oxygenase 1 levels were observed. Polyethylene-glycolated carboxyhemoglobin limited tubular histologic damages compared with hydroxyethyl starch (mean rank difference, 60.12; P = 0.0012) with reduced neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (mean rank difference, 84.43; P < 0.0001) and tumor necrosis factor-α (mean rank difference, 49.67; P = 0.026) histologic scores. Conclusions Polyethylene-glycolated carboxyhemoglobin resuscitation did not improve renal Po2 but limited tubular histologic damages and neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin upregulation after hemorrhage compared with hydroxyethyl starch, whereas a lower volume was required to sustain macrocirculation.