To investigate the effects of hypotonic sodium pyruvate oral rehydration salts on vascular permeability, gastrointestinal and organ function in severely burned rats.

Eighty male Sprague-Dawley(SD) rats were selected and 50% total body surface area (TBSA) full thickness scald model was established. Rats were divided into 4 groups according to the random number table: scalded non-rehydration group (NR group), hypotonic sodium pyruvate-oral rehydration solution group ( PR group), hypotonic sodium citrate-oral rehydration solution group (CR group) and false scald control group (SR group), 20 rats in each group. NR group, PR group and CR group using 96 ℃ water bath soaked rat back for 15 s, double lower limb for 15 s, abdomen for 8 s, resulting in 50% TBSA Ⅲ degree scald model (severe burns confirmed by pathological section); The SR group was immersed in a 37 ℃ water bath for the same time. The PR group and the CR group started oral rehydration by intragastric administration immediately after the injury. The volume and speed of rehydration were based on the Parkland formula, that is, 4 mL/kg per 1% TBSA rehydration, one half of volume was infused during the first 8 hours, the rest during the following 16 hours after burns, all rats received the oral rehydration solution treatment through the gavage in every 0.5 h strictly according to the coculation. The SR group was treated with free drinking water and the NR group was not given oral rehydration. The changes of organ water content, organ function index and gastrointestinal function of rats in each group were observed at 8 h and 24 h after scald. Data were processed with one way analysis of variance, t test and chi-square test.

(1) At 8 and 24 h after injury, the water content of organ tissues (heart, liver, lung, kidney and intestine) of the 4 groups were statistically significant (with P values below 0.05); compared with NR group, the water content of organ tissues in the other three groups decreased, and the difference was statistically significant (with P values below 0.05). At 8 h after injury, the tissue water contents of the heart, liver, lung, kidney and intestine of the PR group were (75.66±1.21)%, (72.83±1.12)%, (75.91±1.24)%, (77.67±1.17)% and (79.16±1.01)%, respectively, all lower than those of the CR group [(79.48±1.25)%, (74.16±1.12)%, (78.87±0.88)%, (79.39±1.19)%, (81.23±0.86)%], the differences were statistically significance (t=3.698, 4.368, 5.112, 5.287, 4.257; with P values below 0.05). At 24 h after injury, the tissue water contents of the heart, liver, lung, kidney and intestine of the PR group were (71.78±1.08)%, (66.89±1.11)%, (71.42±1.18)%, (71.64±1.17)%, (73.91±1.03)%, all lower than those of the CR group [(77.12±1.22)%, (71.13±1.09)%, (75.81±1.14)%, (76.78±1.15)%, (78.42±0.94)%], the differences were statistical significance (t=4.165, 4.572, 4.981, 4.653, 5.017; with P values below 0.05). (2) At 8 and 24 h after injury, the organ function indexes [creatine phosphokinase isoenzyme (CK-MB), alamine aminotransferase (ALT), creatinine] were significantly different in the 4 groups (with P values below 0.05); compared with the NR group, CK-MB, ALT and creatinine were significantly observed in the PR group and the CR group at 8 and 24 h after injury, the differences were statistically significant (with P values below 0.05); 8 h after injury, CK-MB, ALT and creatinine in the PR group were (2 575.6±165.1) U/L, (270.3±61.2) U/L, (46.1±6.4) μmol/L, all lower than those in the CR group [(3 949.4±165.5) U/L, (542.6±60.1) U/L, (66.7±6.8) μmol/L], the differences were statistically significant (t=2.396, 5.465, 5.146; with P values below 0.05); 24 h after injury, CK-MB, ALT and creatinine in the PR group were (1 652.8±167.8) U/L, (226.9±12.1) U/L, (38.2± 4.8) μmol/L, all lower than those in the CR group [(3247.2±121.2) U/L, (418.1±10.9) U/L, (51.1±5.4) μmol/L], the differences were statistically significant (t=2.382, 4.957, 4.060; with P values below 0.05). (3) At 8 and 24 h after injury, the gastric emptying rate of the PR group was (85.1±1.4)%, (91.2±1.8)%, which were higher than those of the CR group [(45.7±1.8)%, (66.1±1.4)%], the differences were statistically significant (χ²=37.327, 38.421; with P values below 0.05). (4) At 8 and 24 h after injury, the total intestinal absorption in the PR group [(20.07±0.78) , (44.07±2.54) mL] were higher than those in the CR group [(14.81±0.69), (31.53±1.62) mL], the differences were statistical significance (χ²=4.716, 5.217; with P values below 0.05).

Hypotonic sodium pyruvate oral rehydration salts can significantly improve vascular permeability, gastrointestinal and organ function in severely scalded rats, and may provide a certain therapeutic effect on the recovery of severely scalded rats.