Microcirculation : the official journal of the Microcirculatory Society, Inc
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Comparative Study
Tissue bioenergetics and microvascular perfusion are impaired in rat ileal mucosa in normotensive sepsis.
Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response to a bacterial infection. Inflammation may result in injury to the small bowel and an increase in translocation of bacteria and toxins across the mucosal barrier, which may contribute to the progression of sepsis. Microcirculatory perfusion or cytopathic hypoxia may cause impairment of tissue bioenergetics and injury in sepsis. The objective of this study was to determine if sepsis is associated with microcirculatory hypoperfusion and impaired tissue bioenergetics in the ileal mucosa. ⋯ Sepsis is associated with bioenergetic impairment and capillary hypoperfusion at the villus tip and a decrease in red cell flux in the central arteriole.