Ornithine carbamoyl transferase as an index of severity in hemorrhagic shock.

Abstract

Hemorrhagic shock experiments were performed on 20 dogs divided into a “reversible” and “irreversible” series. Besides the conventional hemodynamic functions, the following metabolic indices were measured: lactic and uric acids, total proteins, and ornithine carbamoyl transferase (OCT). Under the described standardized experimental conditions (retransfusion after the posthemorrhagic arterial blood pressure dropped by 20%), 85.5% of the experimental animals survived a 6-hr observation period (“reversible” series). If the shed blood was retransfused after the arterial pressure dropped by 40%, 84.5% of the animals died within the same period of time (“irreversible” series). It has been shown that under the described experimental conditions, the increase in OCT activity is a very sensitive indicator of the degree of severity of shock. The species specificity of this index and its potential diagnostic value will have to be demonstrated.