Objective: To study the change in serum uric acid (UA) after acute pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) in rats and its value on the diagnosis of PTE.
Methods: Sixty-four male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into PTE group (n=34) and control group (n=30). Experimental PTE was induced in 34 rats by injection of auto-blood clots into the jugular vein (4 rats died and 30 survived), and another group of 30 rats underwent sham operation. Serum UA, partial pressure of oxygen in artery (PaO(2)), mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) and right ventricular pressure (RVP) were monitored on 1,4,7,14 and 28 days (n=6 per time point) after the operation. Lung tissue was harvested for histologic analysis using hematoxylin and eosin (HE) staining.
Results: Local hemorrhage in alveoli and inflammatory cell infiltration in interstitial tissue could be found microscopically within 1 week after PTE. The alveolar structure recovered and inflammatory cells in interstitial tissue decreased 7 days after PTE. Serum UA was higher in PTE group during 1-7 days after operation than in sham group (all P<0.05). PaO(2) was depressed markedly on 1,4 and 7 days after PTE (P<0.05 or P<0.01), and serum UA was negatively correlated with PaO(2) (r=-0.638, P<0.001); Serum UA returned to baseline 1 week after PTE, along with improvement of PaO(2) and alveolar hemorrhages. mPAP and RVP were not elevated in both groups.
Conclusion: Serum UA content increases after experimental PTE in rats, and it may serve as a potential indicator of the severity and efficacy of treatment of PTE, but its clinical value need to be investigated.