Alteration of taurine homeostasis in acute heatstroke

Abstract

To investigate the potential role of taurine as a hypothermic modulator during heatstroke.

Prospective analyses.

Heatstroke Center in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.

Twenty-nine adult patients with heatstroke.

High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure plasma and urine taurine concentrations in heatstroke patients on admission (precooling) and 24 hrs after complete cooling (postcooling).

There were 18 males and 11 females with a mean rectal temperature of 42.2 ± 0.14°C. At the precooling time period, the taurine concentrations were increased (plasma 180 ± 14 μmol/L; urine 4142 ± 720 μmol/L, [normal ranges 45.5 to 138.2 and 168 to 1890 μmol/L, respectively]). At the postcooling time period, taurine concentrations were significantly (p < .0001) decreased (54 ± 6 and 802 ± 160 μmol/L for plasma and urine, respectively). No correlation was found between taurine and creatine kinase activity, or between precooling temperature and taurinemia or taurinuria.

The source and clinical significance of the increased taurine concentrations are to be determined. The involvement of taurine in the regulation of core body temperature suggests that it may have an adaptive role in heatstroke. (Crit Care Med 1993; 21:551–554)