ABSTRACT
This chapter discusses the evidence for the single-mediator histamine as a causal chemical factor in clinical and experimental septic/endotoxic shock. The primary database for retrieval of studies published on histamine in septic/endotoxic shock was the manual research library system of the Institute of Theoretical Surgery in Marburg. Histamine administration could increase the survival rate in endotoxic shock, released histamine failed to alter vascular and metabolic responses to endotoxin, and long-term infusion of histamine did not elicit pulmonary edema. The first retrieval of articles on the more general topic of’ ‘histamine in shock conditions” was performed by hand. After 3 weeks of work by two of the authors sitting together, 1222 papers were selected from the primary database. The correct time for taking blood for plasma histamine assays is much easier in experimental than in clinical conditions where the investigator does not know the definite starting point of the septic process.
