Biochemical and histopathological findings after a long-term intraperitoneal fat infusion. An experimental study in rats.

Abstract

The object of this work was to see the possible side effects that a long-term intraperitoneal (IP) fat infusion would have. We used 56 female Wistar rats weighing 250 g, divided into a control group (CG) of eight and three groups of 16 in each one. These three groups were administered a 20% Intralipid infusion in a daily amount of 4 g/kg over 5, 10, and 15 days, respectively (groups I, II, and III) intraperitoneally. Twenty-four hr after the last infusion the animals were anesthetized and after having drawn 3 ml of blood, 5% glutaraldehyde (GTH) was instilled in situ and optical and electron microscopic specimens were taken of the lung, liver, right diaphragm, and parietal peritoneum. The results show a decrease in triglyceride (TG) rate 24 hr after the last infusion in each group, but blood glucose, cholesterol, bilirubin, glucose oxidase test (GOT), glutamic pyruvic transaminase (GPT), nor other serum parameters varied. No alterations were noticed in the lung or liver under optical or electron microscopes in the groups than had under gone treatment, except for an increase in circulating macrophages with fat in the lung. In the diaphragm we observed hyperplasia in the serous layer of the peritoneum and an increase in fat in the lymphatic channels of the right diaphragm. The possibility of using IP infusions in order to study parenteral nutrition solutions was put forward as well as their possible clinical use in alternative nutrition techniques on both a short-term and long-term basis.