Background: Pentoxifylline improves survival in animal models of hemorrhagic shock. The purpose of this study was to determine the physiologic effects of pentoxifylline in hemorrhagic shock that may be responsible for improved survival.
Methods: Randomized, prospective, blinded trials in Sprague-Dawley rats subjected to hemorrhage and resuscitation, with or without pentoxifylline.
Results: Pentoxifylline had no effect on BP or cardiac output. However, tissue oxygenation and oxygen consumption were increased with pentoxifylline resuscitation. Pentoxifylline resuscitation also significantly decreased polymorphonuclear leukocyte adhesiveness.
Conclusions: Pentoxifylline improves tissue oxygenation and oxygen consumption posthemorrhage and this effect is not due to increased cardiac output. Therefore, it must be due to improved microcirculatory blood flow. This effect may be due to decreased polymorphonuclear leukocyte adhesiveness induced by pentoxifylline resuscitation.