Objective: The role of nitric oxide during neonatal sepsis is complex. The present study tests the hypothesis that nonselective inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) with N-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (LNAME) is detrimental during the early phase of experimental E. coli sepsis in newborn piglet.

Methods: A total of 35 ventilated piglets (<3days-old) were divided into four groups: Gr. 1 (control, n=6) given normal saline 1 ml iv; Gr. 2 (NAME control, n=6) given 10 mg/kg of LNAME iv; Gr. 3 (E. coli, n=12) had 1 ml E. coli strain 69 (109 cfu) iv; and Gr. 4 (E. coli + NAME, n=11) given LNAME 10 mg/kg iv 1 hour prior to E. coli injection. Hemodynamic changes were monitored for 4 hours. CBC, PT, aPTT, serum lactate and TNF levels (0 hour, 2 hour, at the end), and plasma levels of factor 1, 8, thrombin-antithrombin complexes (TAT), antithrombin III activity (AT III), tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI) and von Willebrand factor (vWF) (0 hour, at the end) were measured.

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