Comparative assessment of toxic pulmonary edema caused by poisoning with carbonyl chloride and fluoroplastic thermal degradation products

Abstract

Poisoning with acylating pulmonary toxicants results in toxic pulmonary edema (TPE), the approaches to treatment of which are limited. The lung injury similar to poisoning with acylating pulmonary toxicants can be simulation through body’s exposure to the fluoroplastic thermal degradation products containing perfluoroisobutylene. The study was aimed to compare toxic pulmonary edema manifestations in the laboratory animals poisoned with an acylating pulmonary toxicant (carbonyl chloride) and fluoroplastic thermal degradation products. Animals (male rats, n = 78) were divided into three groups: controls; Poisoning 1, where the animals were exposed to carbonyl chloride; Poisoning 2, where the animals were exposed to the fluoroplastic thermal degradation products. The animals’ lung/body ratio was determined and the partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO2) and carbon dioxide (PaCO2) was assesed 10 min, 1, 3, 6, 24, and 48 h after the exposure. Histological examination of lung tissue was performed 3 and 6 h after the exposure. The increase in the lung/body ratio, decrease in PaO2, and increase in PaCO2 relative to controls were revealed 3, 6, 24, and 48 h after the exposure to carbonyl chloride and fluoroplastic thermal degradation products. The signs of the interstitial toxic pulmonary edema phase were detected 3 h after the exposure to the studied toxicants, and the signs of alveolar phase were revealed after 6 h. Similar changes were identified in animals of the experimental groups. The findings have shown that the exposure to carbonyl chloride and the fluoroplastic thermal degradation products containing perfluoroisobutylene lead to similar changes in the early post-intoxication period.