Effect of the systemic administration of methylprednisolone on the lungs of brain-dead donor rats undergoing pulmonary transplantation

OBJECTIVE: Most lung transplants are obtained from brain-dead donors. The physiopathology of brain death involves hemodynamics, the sympathetic nervous system, and inflammatory mechanisms. Administering methylprednisolone 60 min after inducing brain death in rats has been shown to modulate pulmonary inflammatory activity. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of methylprednisolone on transplanted rat lungs from donors treated 60 min after brain death. METHODS: Twelve Wistar rats were anesthetized, and brain death was induced. They were randomly divided into two groups (n = 6), namely a control group, which was administered saline solution, and a methylprednisolone group, which received the drug 60 min after the induction of brain death. All of the animals were observed and ventilated for 2 h prior to being submitted to lung transplantation. We evaluated the hemodynamic and blood gas parameters, histological score, lung tissue levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, level of superoxide dismutase, level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and level of interleukin-1 beta. RESULTS: After transplantation, a significant reduction in the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-1β was observed in the group that received methylprednisolone (p = 0.0084 and p = 0.0155, respectively). There were no significant differences in tumor necrosis factor-alpha and superoxide dismutase levels between the control and methylprednisolone groups (p = 0.2644 and p = 0.7461, respectively). There were no significant differences in the blood gas parameters, hemodynamics, and histological alterations between the groups. CONCLUSION: The administration of methylprednisolone after brain death in donor rats reduces inflammatory activity in transplanted lungs but has no influence on parameters related to oxidative stress

Effect of the systemic administration of methylprednisolone on the lungs of brain-dead donor rats undergoing pulmonary transplantation

OBJECTIVE: Most lung transplants are obtained from brain-dead donors. The physiopathology of brain death involves hemodynamics, the sympathetic nervous system, and inflammatory mechanisms. Administering methylprednisolone 60 min after inducing brain death in rats has been shown to modulate pulmonary inflammatory activity. Our objective was to evaluate the effects of methylprednisolone on transplanted rat lungs from donors treated 60 min after brain death. METHODS: Twelve Wistar rats were anesthetized, and brain death was induced. They were randomly divided into two groups (n = 6), namely a control group, which was administered saline solution, and a methylprednisolone group, which received the drug 60 min after the induction of brain death. All of the animals were observed and ventilated for 2 h prior to being submitted to lung transplantation. We evaluated the hemodynamic and blood gas parameters, histological score, lung tissue levels of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, level of superoxide dismutase, level of tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and level of interleukin-1 beta. RESULTS: After transplantation, a significant reduction in the levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha and IL-1β was observed in the group that received methylprednisolone (p = 0.0084 and p = 0.0155, respectively). There were no significant differences in tumor necrosis factor-alpha and superoxide dismutase levels between the control and methylprednisolone groups (p = 0.2644 and p = 0.7461, respectively). There were no significant differences in the blood gas parameters, hemodynamics, and histological alterations between the groups. CONCLUSION: The administration of methylprednisolone after brain death in donor rats reduces inflammatory activity in transplanted lungs but has no influence on parameters related to oxidative stress

Retrospective Analysis of Subsolid Nodules’ Frequency Using Chest Computed Tomography Detection in an Outpatient Population

Introduction: The study was designed to evaluate the frequency of detection and the characteristics of subsolid nodules (SSNs) in outpatients’ chest computed tomography (CT) scans from a private hospital in Southern Brazil. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all chest CT scans was performed in adult patients from ambulatory care (non-lung cancer screening population) over a thirty-day period. Inclusion criteria were age > 18 years and lung-scanning protocols, including standard-dose high-resolution chest CT (HRCT), enhanced CT, CT angiography, and low-dose chest CT (LDCT). SSNs main features collected were mean diameter, number, density (pure or heterogenous ground glass nodules and part-solid), and localization. TheLungRADS system and the updated Fleischner Society’s pulmonary nodules recommendations were used for categorization only for study purposes, although not specifically fitting the population. The presence of emphysema, as well as calcified and solid nodules were also addressed. Statistical analysis was performed using R software, categorial variables are shown as absolute or relative frequencies, and continuous variables as mean and interquartile ranges. Results: Chest computed tomography were performed in 756 patients during the study period (September 2019), and 650 met the inclusion criteria. The IQR for age was 53/73 years; most participants were female (58.3%) and 10.6% had subsolid nodules detected. Conclusions: The frequency of SSNs detection in patients in daily clinical practice, not related to screening populations, is not negligible. Regardless of the final etiology, follow-up is often indicated, given the likelihood of malignancy for persistent lesions