[Effects of combined enteral nutrition support on hemorrheologic parameters and the level of inflammatory factors in rabbits with severe acute pancreatitis].

Objective: To explore the effects of combined enteral nutrition (CEN) on the hemorheologic parameters and the changing levels of inflammatory factors in an animal model of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP).
Methods: The experimental animals were divided randomly into 3 groups, i.e. early enteral nutrition (EEN) group, CEN group and parenteral nutrition(PN)group (n = 20 each). Enteral nutrition was administered to the EEN and CEN group animals at 24 h and 72 h post-modeling respectively. The PN group animals were supported by parenteral nutrition all time. Hemorrheologic indices of all experimental animals were examined on Days 1, 3 and 7 post-modeling. And the inflammatory factors were examined on Days 1 and 7.
Results: Compared with the EEN and PN groups, some hemorrheologic indices of the CEN group decreased significantly (P < 0.05) on Day 7 post-modeling. They included blood sedimentation, hematocrit (HCT), whole blood high-cut reduction viscosity and whole blood low-cut reduction viscosity. As compared within the CEN group, each hemorrheologic index was lower on Day 7 than that on Day 1 (P < 0.05). Except for whole blood high-cut reduction viscosity and erythrocyte aggregation index in the EEN group after a 7-day nutrition support, there was no significant change for all hemorrheologic indices in the PN group. As to the level of inflammatory factors, the values of interleukin 8 (IL-8) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) in the CEN group were lower than those in the PN group on Day 7 post-modeling (P < 0.05). The values of IL-8 and IL-6 in the CEN group were lower than those in the EEN group on the same day (P < 0.05). As compared within the CEN group, the values of IL-6 and TNF-α were lower on Day 7 than those on Day 1 post-modeling (P < 0.05).
Conclusion: The modulatory mechanism of EN over SAP should be achieved by correcting hemorrheologic index change and lowering the level of inflammatory factors. A proper timing of EN is probably the most optimal nutrition support mode of SAP therapy.