BMJ 2002;324:1457 ( 15 June )

Letters

Animal models can assist medicine in humans

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR---The debate about whether we can learn from animals is far more subtle than the rapid responses to Roberts et al's systematic review of fluid resuscitation after haemorrhage suggest. 1 2 It depends on the problem and on the species of the animal; the lessons of comparative medicine are most useful when the model has sufficient similarities to suggest its relevance and enough differences to make it informative. Blanket assertions that we cannot learn from animals are naive, but many generalisations about humans fail when we look at ethnic differences and genetic predisposition.

Several odd points arise in Roberts et al's systematic review.

Firstly, the authors confuse treatment aimed at increasing circulating volume (for example, with solutions based on isotonic sodium) with treatment with hypertonic sodium solutions, whose benefit in shock probably rests on pharmacological properties other than their minuscule and transient impact on circulating volume.

Secondly, the review contains . . . [Full text of this article]
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