Science review: Extracellular acidosis and the immune response: clinical and physiologic implications
-
* Corresponding author: John A Kellum kellumja@ccm.upmc.edu
1 Associate Professor, Critical Care Medicine and Medicine, Co-Director, The MANTRA (Mechanisms And Novel Therapies for Resuscitation and Acute illness) Laboratory, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
2 Research Fellow, Department of Critical Care Medicine, The MANTRA Laboratory, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
3 Visiting Researcher, Department of Critical Care Medicine, The MANTRA Laboratory, Department of Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA
Critical Care 2004, 8:331-336 doi:10.1186/cc2900
Published: 16 June 2004Abstract
Metabolic acidosis is among the most common abnormalities seen in patients suffering from critical illness. Its etiologies are multiple and treatment of the underlying condition is the mainstay of therapy. However, growing evidence suggests that acidosis itself has profound effects on the host, particularly in the area of immune function. Given the central importance of immune function to the outcome of critical illness, there is renewed interest in elucidating the effects of this all too common condition on the immune response. In this review we concentrate on the effects of extracellular acids on production and release of inflammatory mediators, and we demonstrate that different acids produce different effects despite similar extracellular pH. Finally, we discuss potential clinical implications.