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Ann Thorac Surg 1999;67:798-803
© 1999 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons

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Original Articles

Theophylline improves functional recovery of isolated rat lungs after hypothermic preservation

^a Cardiovascular Research, The Rayne Institute, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, England, UK
^b Cardiac Surgical Research, The Rayne Institute, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London, England, UK

Accepted for publication August 11, 1998.

Address reprint requests to Dr Featherstone, Cardiovascular Research, The Rayne Institute, St. Thomas’ Hospital, London SE1 7EH, England
e-mail: rfeather{at}rayne.umds.ac.uk

Background. Raising intracellular cyclic adenosine monophosphate levels protects lungs from ischemia-reperfusion injury. We hypothesized that the phosphodiesterase inhibitor theophylline would protect lungs during storage.

Methods. Rat lungs were perfused with modified bicarbonate buffer mixed with rat blood (4:1 vol/vol) (37°C) and ventilated (80 breaths/min). After 20 minutes of perfusion during which vascular resistance and airway compliance were measured, lungs were flushed with and then immersed in bicarbonate buffer (4°C) alone or containing theophylline (30 to 1,000 µmol/L). After 6 hours of storage, lung function was reassessed during 40 minutes of reperfusion.

Results. Lungs stored in the presence of theophylline had improved lung function on reperfusion. After 40 minutes of reperfusion, pulmonary compliance was 0.008 ± 0.004 mL/cm H₂O, 0.022 ± 0.010, 0.037 ± 0.007, 0.044 ± 0.006, and 0.073 ± 0.003 mL/cm H₂O, and vascular resistance was 3.84 ± 0.40 cm H₂O · min · mL^-1, 3.64 ± 0.78, 2.12 ± 0.35, 2.22 ± 0.25, and 1.90 ± 0.38 cm H₂O · min · mL^-1 in lungs stored in the presence of 0, 30, 100, 300, or 1,000 µmol/L theophylline, respectively. Similar improvements were obtained for wet to dry weight ratio and gas exchange.

Conclusions. Theophylline merits investigation as a potentially beneficial addition to solutions for the flushing and storage of human lungs for transplantation.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W.-J. Luo, X. Ling, and R.-M. Huang Effects of aminophylline on cytokines and pulmonary function in patients undergoing valve replacement Eur. J. Cardiothorac. Surg., May 1, 2004; 25(5): 766 - 771. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. L. FEATHERSTONE, D. J. CHAMBERS, and F. J. KELLY Comparison of Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors of Differing Isoenzyme Selectivity Added to St. Thomas' Hospital Cardioplegic Solution Used for Hypothermic Preservation of Rat Lungs Am. J. Respir. Crit. Care Med., September 1, 2000; 162(3): 850 - 856. [Abstract] [Full Text]

				R. L. Featherstone, D. J. Chambers, and F. J. Kelly Ischemic preconditioning enhances recovery of isolated rat lungs after hypothermic preservation Ann. Thorac. Surg., January 1, 2000; 69(1): 237 - 242. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]