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A J Fischman

Publications and source records attributed to A J Fischman.

At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
PubMed1997

Metabolic alterations in muscle of thermally injured rabbits, measured by positron emission tomography.

The hypermetabolic inflammatory state that occurs after major trauma has been extensively studied at the whole body level, however, there is only limited information on metabolic changes in individual tissues. In this study, the effect of thermal injury on metabolic function of uninjured hind limb muscle of rabbits was measured noninvasively by positron emission tomography (PET). Rabbits were subjected to full thickness burn on 25% of their body surface area. Two to three weeks after injury, PET and arterial blood sampling was performed during inhalation of 15O2, C15O2 and 11CO and after injection of 18FDG. The tissue and blood data were analyzed by standard kinetic models for blood flow, oxygen extraction fraction (OEF), oxygen utilization and glucose metabolism. A total of seven injured and five sham animals were studied. Total body oxygen consumption was measured by indirect calorimetry and plasma concentrations of glucose, insulin and IGF-1 were measured with standard assays. Compared to sham rabbits, blood flow to muscle of injured animals was unchanged. However, OEF, oxygen utilization and glucose metabolism were significantly reduced (p<0.01) in uninjured muscle of burned rabbits. These data demonstrate that thermal injury is associated with alterations in muscle metabolism, which are not related to change in blood flow.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

TCA cycle flux estimates from NMR- and GC-MS-determined [13C]glutamate isotopomers in liver.

Infusion of 13C-labeled lactate into rabbits and the subsequent measurement of glutamate isotopomers by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy enables one to calculate relative flow rates associated with the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, albeit with a lower precision than one would obtain using a perfused organ. Two factors contribute to the lower precision in the determination of relative flow rates for the in vivo system: 1) a poorly defined pyruvate input and 2) low levels of 13C-enriched oxaloacetate and acetyl-CoA isotopomers, which give rise to weaker glutamate isotopomer NMR signals. To help overcome these limitations, we introduce a procedure to 1) include experimental data from gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and 2) account for the uncertainty in the labeling of the input to pyruvate by creating the labeling as a measurement that is subject to measurement error. The effects of the uncertainties in the input labeling, NMR data, and MS data are evaluated via a Monte Carlo method. The change in the precision of the relative fluxes for the cases of high/low NMR and high/low MS precision is given. An uncertainty in the lactate measurements of up to 10% does not add significantly to the imprecision of the relative flow rates.

Acetyl Coenzyme A↗
PubMed1997

Probing striatal function in obsessive-compulsive disorder: a PET study of implicit sequence learning.

Positron emission tomography was employed to contrast the brain activation pattern in patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) to that of matched control subjects while they performed an implicit learning task. Although patients and control subjects evidenced comparable learning, imaging data from control subjects indicated bilateral inferior striatal activation, whereas OCD patients did not activate right or left inferior striatum and instead showed bilateral medial temporal activation. The findings further implicate corticostriatal dysfunction in obsessive-compulsive disorder. Furthermore, when OCD patients are confronted with stimuli that call for recruitment of corticostriatal systems, they instead appear to access brain regions normally associated with explicit (conscious) information processing.

Adult↗
PubMed1997

The role of positron emission tomography in pharmacokinetic analysis.

The physiological and biochemical measurements that can be performed noninvasively in humans with modern imaging techniques offer great promise for defining the precise state of a patient's disease and its response to therapy. In general, there are two critical points in drug development when PET measurements are likely to be particularly useful: (1) In preclinical studies, a new drug can be precisely compared to standard therapies or a series of analogs can be screened for further development on the basis of performance in appropriate animal models. (2) In phase I-II human studies, classic pharmacokinetic measurements can be coupled with imaging measurements (a) to define optimal dosing schedule; (b) to define the potential utility of interventions in particular clinical situations; and (c) to formulate the design of phase III studies that are crucial for drug licensure. In general, the types of measurements that are possible can be grouped into the following categories: 1. In those situations in which the drug can be radiolabeled, the time course of tissue delivery can be determined noninvasively in vivo in health and disease. Such information should be useful for determining dosing schedules, establishing efficacy, and predicting possible toxicity. 2. Ligand-receptor binding can be assessed in vivo in two ways. The ability of the drug to displace standard radiolabeled ligands from their receptors can be determined; alternatively, labeled drug can be used to more directly assess the distribution and time course of binding. These measurements are particularly useful for studying drugs that are active in the central nervous and cardiovascular systems. 3. Measurements of tissue metabolism will be useful in determining the effects of therapies aimed at particular metabolic abnormalities. In addition, these measurements may be useful in defining viability and function of tissues in such widely disparate clinical situations as cancer chemotherapy and cardiology. For example, effects of CNS or cardiovascular drugs can be monitored by observing 18FDG metabolism in brain and heart. We suggest that the joining of classic clinical pharmacology to exquisite imaging measurements will help form the basis for 21st-century clinical drug development.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

SPECT imaging of dopamine transporter sites in normal and MPTP-Treated rhesus monkeys.

UNLABELLED: Parkinson's disease is characterized by degeneration of dopamine (DA) neurons and their terminals. Since these neurons contain dopamine transporters (DAT), radioligands that bind to these sites are promising radiopharmaceuticals for diagnosis and therapeutic monitoring of disease progression. We evaluated [123I]-2 beta-carbomethoxy- 3 beta-(4-fluorophenyl)-N-(1-iodoprop-1-en-3-yl)nortropane ([123I]IACFT) for SPECT imaging in an MPTP model of parkinsonism. METHODS: Three rhesus monkeys were imaged before and at 1 and 2 mo after treatment with MPTP. The SPECT results were correlated with motor behavior and PET imaging with [11C]-2 beta-carbomethoxy-3 beta-aryltropane ([11C]-CFT). Also, biodistribution was measured by planar imaging. RESULTS: In normal animals, striatal accumulation of radioactivity was rapid and peaked within 30 min. Striatal accumulation of [123I]IACFT was nearly completely displaceable with unlabeled CFT (1 mg/kg) but was not affected by a similar dose of the serotonin (5-HT) transport inhibitor, citalopram. The striatal to cerebellar ratio measured at 30 min, after injection of [123I]IACFT was significantly higher (p < 0.01) than with [11C]CFT; approximately 6; 1 versus approximately 2.5; 1. After MPTP treatment this ratio decreased to 1.02:1 with IACFT and 1.23:1 with [11C]CFT. Blood clearance of [123I]IACFT was rapid with a terminal t1/2 of approximately 30 min. HPLC of plasma samples demonstrated that the concentration of intact ligand decreases rapidly, approaching zero by 60 min. Low levels of accumulation were measured in extracranial tissues. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate that [123I]IACFT is an excellent SPECT ligand for dopamine transporter sites that combines the critical characteristics of: (a) high striatal to cerebellar ratios, (b) high selectivity for dopamine versus 5-HT transporter sites, (c) convenient preparation at high-specific activity and radiochemical purity and (d) a striatal localization rate that is well matched to the physical t1/2 of 123I.

1-Methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine↗
PubMed1997

Positron emission tomography in drug development.

There are four kinds of measurements that can be carried out with positron emission tomography (PET) that can contribute significantly to the process of drug development: pharmacodynamic measurements of tissue metabolism influenced by a given drug; precise measurements of tissue blood flow; tissue pharmacokinetics of a given drug following administration of a particular dose; and the temporal course of ligand-receptor interaction. One or more of these measurements can greatly improve the decision making involved in determining the appropriate dose of a drug, the clinical situations in which a drug might be useful, and the linkage of pharmacokinetics with pharmacodynamics, which is at the heart of effective drug development. The greater the potential of a particular compound as a therapeutic agent, the greater the potential for PET to contribute to the drug development process.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

FDG hypermetabolism associated with inflammatory necrotic changes following radiation of meningioma.

PET with 18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) is currently the noninvasive gold standard for distinguishing brain tumor recurrence from radiation necrosis. We present a case report that appears to contradict this doctrine. The patient had a history of atypical meningioma and was treated with surgical resection and postoperative proton-beam radiation therapy. Approximately 16 mo after completion of therapy, MRI demonstrated two new regions of enhancement, and an FDG-PET study was performed to further characterize these lesions. FDG-PET demonstrated an area of intense hypermetabolism, and wide surgical resection was performed. Histological examination of the surgical specimen revealed reactive changes and areas of necrosis. There was no evidence of either recurrent or radiation-induced tumor.

Aged↗
PubMed1997

Localization of radiolabeled chemotactic peptide at focal sites of Escherichia coli infection in rabbits: evidence for a receptor-specific mechanism.

UNLABELLED: The infection imaging properties of a high-affinity 99mTc-labeled chemotactic peptide receptor agonist (N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine-lysine; N-For-MLFK) were compared with a low-affinity agonist (N-Acetyl-MLFK; N-Ac-MLFK), a moderate-affinity antagonist (N-isobutyloxycarbonyl-MLFK; N-IBoc-MLFK) and non-specific inflammation imaging agents. METHODS: All peptides were prepared by solid-phase methods and purified by high-performance liquid chromatography. The products were assayed in vitro for N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine receptor binding and superoxide production. Three types of studies were performed in rabbits with Escherichia coli infection: (Study A) Four groups of six animals were coinjected with 99mTc-N-For-MLFK-hydrazinonicotinamide (N-For-MLFK-HYNIC) plus 111In-immunoglobulin G, 111In-red blood cells or 111In-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid. (Study B) Three groups of six rabbits were coinjected with 111In-leukocytes plus 99mTc-N-For-MLFK-HYNIC, 99mTc-N-Ac-MLFK-HYNIC or 99mTc-N-IBoc-MLFK-HYNIC. (Study C) Two groups of six rabbits were injected with 99mTc-N-For-MLFK-HYNIC and 111In-leukocytes with and without an excess of antagonist. In all three studies, the radiopharmaceuticals were injected 24 hr after infection and dual photon (99mTc and 111In) gamma camera images were acquired at 2-3 and 16-18 hr later. Target-to-background (T/B) ratios were calculated for regions of interest drawn over the infected and contralateral normal tissue. RESULTS: N-For-MLFK, N-Ac-MLFK and N-IBoc-MLFK had EC50s for receptor binding of 2.0, 830 and 150 nM, respectively. The corresponding EC50s for superoxide production were 20.0, approximately 10(3) and > 10(4). Study A demonstrated that the T/B for 99mTc-N-For-MLFK-HYNIC was higher than for any of the nonspecific imaging agents (p < 0.001), and 111In-immunoglobulin G had a higher T/B ratio than 111In-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (p < 0.01) or 111In-red blood cells (p = NS). Study B showed that 99mTc-N-For-MLFK-HYNIC had a higher T/B ratio than the other peptides (p < 0.001). 111In-leukocytes and 99mTc-N-IBoc-MLFK-HYNIC had comparable T/B ratios, which were higher than for 99mTc-N-Ac-MLFK-HYNIC (p < 0.05). Study C demonstrated that coinjection with an antagonist resulted in a significant reduction in the T/B ratio for 99mTc-N-For-MLFK-HYNIC (p < 0.001), but did not affect the T/B ratio for 111In-leukocytes. CONCLUSION: Nonspecific mechanisms contribute minimally to the localization of 99mTc-chemotactic peptide analogs at sites of infection and the majority of the accumulation appears to be receptor mediated. Also, chemotactic peptide receptor antagonists can be used for infection imaging. These results provide important new insights for future radiopharmaceutical development.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Factors influencing regional myocardial contractile response to inotropic stimulation. Analysis in humans with stable ischemic heart disease.

BACKGROUND: We hypothesized that the response of a myocardial segment to maximal dobutamine reflects not only maximal blood flow but also tethering, metabolic, and beta-blocker status. METHODS AND RESULTS: Patients with stable ischemic heart disease (n = 27) had positron emission tomographic measurement of blood flow at rest and with adenosine, and echocardiography at rest and with dobutamine. Positron emission tomographic measurement of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose myocardial distribution also was made. Adenosine blood flow in segments that contracted normally at peak dobutamine was similar to that of segments that became hypokinetic (1.06 +/- 0.72 versus 1.02 +/- 0.77 mL.g-1.min-1). Segments that became akinetic failed to augment blood flow (0.68 +/- 0.30 mL.g-1.min-1). Fluorodeoxyglucose-blood flow mismatch was more common in segments with abnormal wall motion at peak dobutamine (24 of 59, 41%) versus those that contracted normally (63 of 269, 23%; chi 2, 7.40; P < .01). In patients off beta-blockers, segments that contracted normally at peak dobutamine increased blood flow with adenosine (0.70 +/- 0.31 to 0.86 +/- 0.46 mL.g-1.min-1; P < .05), whereas those that became abnormal did not (0.63 +/- 0.24 to 0.65 +/- 0.19 mL.g-1.min-1; P = NS). Segments of patients on beta-blockers that contracted normally at peak dobutamine increased blood flow with adenosine (0.78 +/- 0.31 to 1.10 +/- 0.70 mL.g-1.min-1; P < .05), as did segments that became abnormal (0.74 +/- 0.34 to 1.06 +/- 0.82 mL.g-1.min-1; P = NS). However, segments adjacent to ones with abnormal wall motion at rest had higher frequency of abnormal response at peak dobutamine in groups on (48% versus 16%; chi 2, 14.1; P < .001) and off (51% versus 21%; chi 2, 10.9; P < .01) beta-blockers. CONCLUSIONS: Augmented contraction at maximal dobutamine depends not only on increased myocardial blood flow but also on tethering, metabolic, and beta-blocker status. Furthermore, impaired flow reserve does not preclude a normal response to maximal dobutamine, since blood flow need not increase greatly to meet demand.

Adenosine↗
PubMed1996

Myocardial adaptation during and after sustained, demand-induced ischemia. Observations in closed-chest, domestic swine.

BACKGROUND: We tested the hypotheses that prolonged, demand-induced myocardial ischemia plateaus and that on relief of stress, myocardial function remains depressed, with proportionate reductions in blood flow and oxygen consumption indicative of hibernation. METHODS AND RESULTS: Closed-chest swine (n = 20) were prepared with an 80% coronary stenosis. Hemodynamics, myocardial blood flow, oxygen, and lactate metabolism were measured in group 1 (n = 9) (1) at baseline, (2) at 10 and 30 minutes of atrial pacing plus intravenous norepinephrine infusion, and (3) in 5 of 9 (group 1a) at approximately 50 minutes after stress. Group 1a had ischemia assessed with 99mTc-labeled BMS 181321. In group 2 (n = 11), myocardial function was determined with radionuclide ventriculography (n = 8), and myocardial necrosis was looked for with trichlorotetrazolium chloride staining (n = 7), histology (n = 10), and myocardial creatine kinase concentration (n = 4). Baseline stenotic-zone endocardial blood flow was reduced versus the normal zone (0.94 +/- 0.33 versus 1.38 +/- 0.27 mL.min-1.g-1, mean +/- SD; P < .05), whereas epicardial flows were comparable (1.15 +/- 0.36 versus 1.16 +/- 0.26 mL.min-1.g-1). Stenotic-zone endocardial flow was unchanged versus baseline at 10 and 30 minutes of stress, whereas epicardial flow increased (1.62 +/- 0.53 mL.min-1.g-1 at 10 minutes and 1.44 +/- 0.51 mL.min-1.g-1 at 30 minutes, both P < .05). Myocardial oxygen consumption increased versus baseline (10.8 +/- 2.9 mL.min-1.100 g-1) at 10 and 30 minutes of stress (14.9 +/- 5.2 and 13.9 +/- 4.5 mL.min-1.100 g-1, both P < .05). After stress, stenotic-zone blood flow and oxygen consumption were reduced approximately 30% (P < .01) versus baseline. In group 2, stenotic-zone contraction with stress declined versus baseline and remained depressed throughout recovery. Histological and biochemical evidence of myocardial necrosis was absent in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: Myocardial ischemia induced by a sustained increase in oxygen demand may not progress to necrosis but may instead plateau. After relief of stress, myocardial function remains depressed, with a proportionate reduction in blood flow and oxygen consumption consistent with myocardial hibernation.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

In vivo tissue distribution of CD4 lymphocytes in mice determined by radioimmunoscintigraphy with an 111In-labeled anti-CD4 monoclonal antibody.

The tissue distribution of CD4 lymphocytes in normal C57/BL mice and CD4 knockout mice was determined by biodistribution measurements and gamma camera imaging with an 111In-labeled rat IgG2b monoclonal antibody directed against the murine CD-4 antigen. In normal mice high concentrations of antibody accumulated in the spleen and lymph nodes. At 45 hr after injection, the concentration of radiolabel in the spleen and lymph nodes of normal mice were 10- to 20-fold greater than in the corresponding tissue of the CD4 knockout mice and nonlymphoid tissues of both types of mice. At 24 and 45 hr, gamma camera images showed high concentrations of radiolabeled antibody in lymph node and spleen of normal but not knockout mice. These results indicate that radioimmunoscintigraphy with 111In-anti-CD4 is an excellent method for studying tissue distribution of CD lymphocytes in mice. Using an equivalent anti-human CD antibody, this method might be useful for studying the pathophysiology of conditions in which these cells play a critical role and for monitoring therapies for these disorders.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Measurement of muscle protein synthesis by positron emission tomography with L-[methyl-11C]methionine.

Positron emission tomography (PET) with L-[methyl-11C]methionine was explored as an in vivo, noninvasive, quantitative method for measuring the protein synthesis rate (PSR) in paraspinal and hind limb muscles of anesthetized dogs. Approximately 25 mCi (1 Ci = 37 GBq) of L-[methyl-11C]methionine was injected intravenously, and serial images and arterial blood samples were acquired over 90 min. Data analysis was performed by fitting tissue- and metabolite-corrected arterial blood time-activity curves to a three-compartment model and assuming insignificant transamination and transmethylation in this tissue. PSR was calculated from fitted parameter values and plasma methionine concentrations. PSRs measured by PET were compared with arterio-venous (A-V) difference measurements across the hind limb during primed constant infusion (5-6 h) of L-[1-13C, methyl-2H3]methionine. Results of PET measurements demonstrated similar PSRs for paraspinal and hind limb muscles: 0.172 +/- 0.062 vs. 0.208 +/- 0.048 nmol-1.min-1.(g of muscle)-1 (P = not significant). PSR determined by the stable isotope technique was 0.27 +/- 0.050 nmol-1.min-1.(g of leg tissue)-1 (P < 0.07 from PET) and indicated that the contribution of transmethylation to total hind limb methionine utilization was approximately 10%. High levels of L-[methyl-11C]methionine utilization by bone marrow were observed. We conclude that muscle PSR can be measured in vivo by PET and that this approach offers promise for application in human metabolic studies.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Selective inhibition of N-formylpeptide-induced neutrophil activation by carbamate-modified peptide analogues.

Stimulation of the leukocyte N-formylpeptide receptor (FPR) induces chemotaxis, cell adhesion, free radical release, and degranulation, responses associated with infection and inflammation. Under conditions where continuous activation of the receptor prevails, neutrophil-dependent tissue damage ensues. Antagonists of the FPR have potential for use as diagnostic and therapeutic agents. Hence, we have synthesized and evaluated a series of amino-terminal carbamate analogues of the peptide Met-Leu-Phe (MLF) in order to determine the structural requirements for imparting agonist or antagonist activity at the human neutrophil FPR. Peptides were evaluated in three in vitro assays: receptor binding, superoxide anion release, and cell adhesion. Unbranched carbamates (methoxycarbonyl, ethoxycarbonyl, and n-butyloxycarbonyl) resulted in agonist activity, whereas branched carbamates (iso-butyloxycarbonyl, tert-butyloxycarbonyl, and benzyloxycarbonyl) were antagonists. The peptide antagonists were more potent inhibitors of superoxide anion release than cell adhesion by 4-7-fold. When iso-butyloxycarbonyl-MLF (i-Boc-MLF) was further modified at the carboxy terminus with Lys, antagonist potency was retained but without functional selectivity. Further C-terminal modification with the radionuclide linker diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid did not alter the potency of i-Boc-MLFK. These results indicate that the switch from agonist to antagonist activity can be achieved by modifying the overall size and shape of the amino-terminal group; that modifications at both the amino and carboxy termini can alter the functional selectivity of the peptide; and that modifications can be tolerated at the carboxy terminus to allow for development of an antagonist for diagnostic applications.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

A symptom provocation study of posttraumatic stress disorder using positron emission tomography and script-driven imagery.

BACKGROUND: Previous studies have used symptom provocation and positron emission tomography to delineate the brain systems that mediate various anxiety states. Using an analogous approach, the goal of this study was to measure regional cerebral blood flow changes associated with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. METHODS: Eight patients with PTSD, screened as physiologically responsive to a script-driven imagery symptom provocation paradigm, were exposed sequentially to audiotaped traumatic and neutral scripts in conjunction with positron emission tomography. Heart rate and subjective measures of emotional state were obtained for each condition. Statistical mapping techniques were used to determine locations of significant brain activation. RESULTS: Increases in normalized blood flow were found for the traumatic as compared with control conditions in right-sided limbic, paralimbic, and visual areas; decreases were found in left inferior frontal and middle temporal cortex. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that emotions associated with the PTSD symptomatic state are mediated by the limbic and paralimbic systems within the right hemisphere. Activation of visual cortex may correspond to the visual component of PTSD reexperiencing phenomena.

Adult↗
PubMed1996

Quantification of dopamine transporter density in monkeys by dynamic PET imaging of multiple injections of 11C-CFT.

Idiopathic Parkinson's disease (PD) is characterized by loss of dopaminergic terminals in the basal ganglia. The cocaine analog, CFT (WIN 35,428), has been shown to bind selectively to the pre-synaptic dopamine transporters and thus represents an important probe for monitoring disease progression. In this study, we evaluated [11C] labeled CFT as a PET ligand for the quantitative in vivo assay of dopamine transporter density in three normal rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta). One of the animals was studied after treatment with the neurotoxin, MPTP. Simulation studies demonstrated that a three injection protocol is necessary for quantitation of dopamine transporter density. The protocol consists of an initial high specific activity injection, a low specific activity "displacement dose" at 30 min, and a final high specific activity injection at approximately 90 min. Dynamic PET imaging and arterial blood sampling were started immediately before the first injection and continued for 2 h. Blood data were corrected for [11C] labeled CFT metabolites. Compartmental models describing the dynamics of labeled and the unlabeled ligand explicitly were fitted to the PET and metabolite corrected blood data. Prior to MPTP treatment, modeling of the striatal data required a saturable receptor term and yielded mean estimates of: B'max = 113 pmol/g and KD = 33 nm (n = 3). These values for B'max are in reasonable agreement with published values for [3H] CFT binding in vitro. After multiple treatments with MPTP (0.6 mg/kg x 3), B'max in one of the animals was reduced from 122 to 10.2 pmol/g. KD was relatively unaffected by MPTP treatment. These data provide additional basis for the use of [11C] CFT in monitoring the progression of Parkinson's disease and other conditions that are associated with the loss of dopaminergic nerve terminals.

Animals↗
PubMed1996

Improved methods for image registration.

We report a system for PET-MRI registration that is improved or optimized in several areas: (1) Automatic scalp/brain segmentation replaces manual drawing operations, (2) a new fast and accurate method of image registration, (3) visual assessment of registration quality is enhanced by composite imaging methods (i.e., fusion) and (4) the entire procedure is embedded in a commercially available scientific visualization package, thereby providing a consistent graphical user interface. The segmentation algorithm was tested on 17 MRI data sets and was successful in all cases. Accuracy of image registration was equal to that of the Woods algorithm, but 10 times faster for PET-PET and 4 times faster for PET-MRI. The image fusion method allows detection of misalignments on the order of 2-3 mm. These results demonstrate an integrated system for intermodality image registration, which is important because the procedure can be performed by technicians with no anatomic knowledge and reduces the required time from hours to about 15 min on a modern computer workstation.

Algorithms↗
PubMed1996

Thermal injury in rats alters glucose utilization by skin, wound, and small intestine, but not by skeletal muscle.

The effects of thermal injury in rats on glucose utilization (Rg) by skin, wound, small intestine, and muscle in vivo has been determined using 2-[18F]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (18FDG) 6 hours, 24 hours, and 3 weeks after injury. These results were compared with serum glucose and insulin levels at the same time points and with hexokinase activity in the tissues. Thermal injury had no significant effects on serum glucose levels; however, serum insulin levels were lower than sham values 6 hours after injury, the same as sham values 24 hours after injury, and significantly higher than sham values 3 weeks after injury. Rg of unburned skin was not changed at 6 or 24 hours after injury, but was increased at 3 weeks after injury. The Rg of the wound was almost zero at 6 and 24 hours after injury; however, at 3 weeks after injury, the wound area had a Rg two to three times higher than that of the normal skin of sham animals. Small intestine Rg was decreased 6 and 24 hours after injury, but was essentially normal by 3 weeks after injury. The Rg of muscle was unchanged at all of the time points tested. Total Rg was significantly higher in the animals 3 weeks after injury, with the increase primarily due to the increases in skin and wound. The increases in Rg were associated with changes in tissue hexokinase activity. The present data suggest that thermal injury to rats results in dramatic alterations in glucose utilization by the skin and wound, changes that may contribute to the overall alterations in carbohydrate metabolism during burn trauma.

Animals↗