Hydrogen Gas Inhalation Saves Lives in Severe Sepsis Study
- Authors
- Ke-Liang Xie, Li-Chao Hou, Guo-Lin Wang, Li-Ze Xiong
- Journal
- Journal of Zhejiang University - Medical Sciences
- Year
- 2010
- Study Type
- Mouse
- Outcome
- Positive
- Peer Reviewed
- Yes
- Country
- China
- Health Condition
- Sepsis
- Body System
- Immune System
TL;DR
Breathing in hydrogen gas significantly improved survival rates and reduced harmful inflammation markers in mice with severe sepsis.
Key Finding
Hydrogen gas inhalation increased the 7-day survival rate of severely septic mice from 0% to 60% and significantly reduced serum HMGB1 levels, a key inflammatory marker.
Summary
Researchers gave mice with severe sepsis (a life-threatening infection) hydrogen gas to breathe and measured how it affected their survival and a protein called HMGB1 that promotes inflammation. Mice that received hydrogen gas had a 60% survival rate compared to 0% in untreated mice, and their HMGB1 levels were significantly lower. This suggests hydrogen gas may help reduce harmful inflammation during severe infections.
Practical Takeaway
This is an early-stage animal study showing hydrogen gas may have anti-inflammatory effects in severe sepsis. However, these results are from mice only and cannot be directly applied to humans—much more research, including human clinical trials, would be needed before hydrogen gas could be considered a sepsis treatment. The findings are interesting for researchers but do not yet support any health claims for consumers.
Abstract
To investigate the effect of hydrogen gas inhalation on survival rate and serum high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) levels in severe septic mice. Severe sepsis was induced by cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) operation in mice.A total of 248 mice were randomly divided into four groups: sham operation group (sham), sham operation with hydrogen gas inhalation group (sham+H2), severe CLP group (severe CLP) and severe CLP with hydrogen gas inhalation group (severe CLP+H2). Hydrogen gas inhalation was given for 1 h at 1st and 6th h after CLP or sham operation, respectively. The survival rates and serum HMGB1 levels of all groups at different time points were measured. The 7-d survival rates of severe CLP mice was 0 % (Compared with Sham group, P <0.05), and the serum HMBG1 levels from h2 to h32 after CLP operation were significantly increased in severe CLP mice (Compared with Sham group, P <0.05). Hydrogen gas treatment increased the 7-d survival rate of severe CLP mice to 60 % (Compared with severe sepsis group, P <0.05) and significantly reduced the serum HMGB1 levels at different time points (Compared with severe sepsis group, P <0.05). Hydrogen gas inhalation can decrease the serum HMGB1 levels and increase the survival rate of rats with severe sepsis.