Is endotoxin and cytokine release related to a decrease in gastric intramucosal pH after hemorrhagic shock?

Abstract

During severe hemorrhagic shock, endotoxin translocation from the gut was a common phenomenon that seemed independent of both pHi values and outcome. It could not explain IL-6 and TNF alpha release. In severe hemorrhagic shock, neither pHi nor PCO2-gap provides additional information to the lactate measurements.

Portal and Systemic Endotoxemia in Abdominal Operations: The Significance of Acute Abdomen

“…However data from clinical studies are contradictory. Bacterial translocation has been demonstrated in patients with intestinal obstruction [11], burns, hemorrhage [12], cirrhosis [13,14], and obstructive jaundice [15] and has been correlated to septic complications in patients with trauma [2]. Other investigators have failed to demonstrate evidence of bacterial translocation casting doubt on the significance of the gut in the pathogenesis of sepsis and its complications [16,17].…”