Background: To investigate whether angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) are implicated in the hypoxemic resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock.
Methods: Twenty rabbits were subjected to hemorrhagic shock after blood exsanguination; resuscitation was performed by infusion of the shed blood in ten rabbits under normoxemic conditions (NormoxRes) and in 10 under hypoxemic conditions (HypoxRes); four rabbits were subjected to sham operation. Serum was drawn at serial time intervals; serum was applied for stimulation of U937 monocytes.
Results: Serum concentrations of Ang2 were higher in the NormoxRes group compared to the HypoxRes group at 90 min (p: 0.049) and at 120 min (p: 0.028). Serum concentrations of VEGF did not differ between groups. Concentrations of VEGF in the supernatants of U937 stimulated with sera of all groups were below detection limit. The wet to dry lung ratio of the HypoxRes group was significantly lower than the NormoxRes group (p<0.0001).
Conclusions: Hypoxemic resuscitation from hemorrhagic shock is a process accompanied by reduced serum levels of Ang2. These findings add significantly to our understanding of that experimental treatment strategy of resuscitation.