Effects of Nonanticoagulant Heparin on Cardiovascular and Hepatocellular Function After Hemorrhagic Shock

Although heparinization of animals before hemorrhage improves cell and organ function, the potent anticoagulant activity of conventional heparin sodium precludes its potential clinical use. To determine whether a novel nonanticoagulant heparin, GM1892, would have any beneficial effects on cardiovascular and hapatocellular functions and would decrease susceptibility to sepsis after hemorrhage, laparotomy was performed on rats (i.e., trauma induced), after which they were bled to and maintained at a mean arterial pressure of 40 mmHg until 40% of maximal bleedout volume was returned in the form of Ringer lactate solution (RL). The rats were then resuscitated with three times the volume of shed blood with RL over 45 min, followed by infusion of two times RL plus GM1892 (7 mg/kg body wt; approximately 2% the anticoagulant activity of regular heparin) of saline over 60 min. At 2 and 4 h after the completion of resuscitation, cardiac output, hepatocellular function, and microvascular blood flow were determined. The results indicated that cardiac output, hepatocellular function, and microvascular blood flow in the liver, spleen, and small intestine decreased significantly after hemorrhage and resuscitation. Administration of GM1892, however, restored these parameters. The morphological abnormality observed after hemorrhage in the liver, kidney, and small gut was also attenuated with GM1892 treatment. Moreover, GM1892 normalized the elevated plasma prostaglandin E2 levels. Sepsis was induced in additional rats by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) 20 h after hemorrhage, and the necrotic cecum was excised 10 h thereafter. GM1892 treatment significantly decreased mortality after CLP and cecal excision. Thus GM1892 appears to be a useful adjunct to fluid resuscitation, since it restores the depressed cardiovascular responses and decreases susceptibility to sepsis after trauma and hemorrhage.