Fig. 1.

Overview of the study design. All animals were subjected to an infusion of E. coli in the proximal portal vein. The naive group received only the E. coli infusion. Animals in the SIRS group were given a continuous endotoxin infusion for 24 h before the E. coli infusion. Three piglets served as controls for 24 h anaesthesia and intensive care and received saline (instead of endotoxin) for 24 h before the E. coli infusion. Blood samples for the analysis of bacterial counts in portal venous, hepatic venous and arterial blood were collected hourly during the E. coli infusion