Acta Cir Bras. 2007 Feb;22(1):22-29

Effect of post-natal castration on sepsis mortality in rats

Bernhardt JA, D' Acampora AJ, Tramonte R, Serafim JD.
School of Medicine, University of Vale do Itajai, Santa Catarina, Brazil.

PURPOSE: To investigate the influence of castration in early periods of
development on survival to experimental acute sepsis. METHODS: Four groups
of 10 (ten) Wistar rats were used. The groups were comprised of males (M),
females (F), males castrated on the fourth day of life (CM) and males
castrated on the fourth day of life with testosterone replacement (CMR).
Sepsis was induced by ligature and cecal perforation in adult life.
RESULTS: The analysis of death within 24 hours following sepsis induction
showed greater mortality between the M and the CMR groups as compared to
the CM and F (p=0.0180) groups. Multiple correspondence analysis (MCA)
indicates an association between the M and the CMR groups for death within
24 hours as well as a relationship between the F and the CM groups for the
absence of death and death up to 24 hours following sepsis induction.
Statistical analysis of the Kaplan-Meier survival curve through log-rank
demonstrates a significant difference among the four groups (p=0.0055) and
between the M and the F (p=0.0005) groups. CONCLUSION: Data suggest a
better survival to sepsis within 24 hours for the F and CM groups, the
presence or absence of testosterone in early periods of post-natal life
being responsible for these findings.