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PubMed2001

Comparison of the effects of angiotensin converting-enzyme inhibitors and beta blockers on survival in elderly patients with reduced left ventricular function after myocardial infarction.

PURPOSE: Angiotensin converting-enzyme (ACE) inhibitors decrease mortality after myocardial infarction among patients with depressed left ventricular function. Beta blockers may also improve survival in these patients. We compared the relative effects of these agents on the survival of elderly patients with a left ventricular ejection fraction less than 40% after myocardial infarction. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The Cooperative Cardiovascular Project collected data on patients aged 65 years and older who were admitted with myocardial infarction from April 1994 to July 1995, including 20,902 with a measured left ventricular ejection fraction less than 40% before discharge. Using proportional hazard regression models that adjusted for patient characteristics and in-hospital treatments, we compared survival among patients discharged on ACE inhibitors, beta blockers, both medications, or neither medication. RESULTS: Among patients surviving hospitalization with reduced left ventricular function, 9,108 (44%) were discharged on ACE inhibitors, 2,613 (13%) on beta blockers, 3,309 (16%) on both medications, and 5,872 (28%) on neither medication. Patients treated with ACE inhibitors were more likely to have a prior diagnosis of heart failure and less likely to have undergone revascularization, whereas those treated with beta blockers were more often treated with thrombolytic therapy and aspirin. Patients treated with ACE inhibitors [hazard ratio (HR = 0.80), 0.80; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.73 to 0.87] or beta blockers (HR = 0.76, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.90) had lower adjusted 1-year mortality than those who were not treated with either medication. The combination of both medications was associated with additional benefit (HR = 0.68, 0.68; 95% CI, 0.59 to 0.80). The relative benefit of each medication was greatest among patients with an ejection fraction less than 30%, a serum creatinine level 2.0 mg/dL or greater, or both. To prevent a death within a year, the number of patients who needed to be treated with both medications varied from 5 to 15, depending on ejection fraction and renal function. CONCLUSION: ACE inhibitors and beta blockers were associated with similar improvements in survival among elderly patients with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction after myocardial infarction. Our results suggest that patients who can tolerate both medications gain additional benefit from the combination.

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗

PubMedDate not supplied

[Evaluation of left ventricular function in patients with postinfarction cardiosclerosis by X-ray, angiographic and electrocardiographic findings].

To define the diagnostic value of X-ray criteria for evaluating the cardiac status in patients with postinfarct cardiosclerosis, coronary, ventricular and electrocardiographic findings were compared with X-ray data in patients with two age groups (22-39 and 60-69 years). An attempt was made to substantiate the use of the X-ray technique while examining patients with coronary heart disease (CHD). The comparison of functional and roentgenocardiometric data has revealed that the roentgenocardiometric index, relative cardiac volume, may be used as a noninvasive criterion for evaluating the morphological and functional status of the left ventricle while following up patients with CHD.

Adult↗

PubMed1992

Maintenance of left ventricular function (90%) after twenty-four-hour heart preservation with deferoxamine.

During 24-h in vitro heart preservation and reperfusion, irreversible tissue damage occurs caused by reactive oxygen intermediates, such as superoxide radicals, singlet oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, hydroperoxyl, hydroxyl radicals, as well as the peroxynitrite radical. Reduction of the related oxidative damage of reperfused ischemic tissue by free radical scavengers and metal chelators is of primary importance in maintaining heart function. We assessed whether deferoxamine (DFR) added to a cardioplegia solution decreased free radical formation during 24-h cold (5 degrees C) heart preservation and normothermic reperfusion (37 degrees C) in the Langendorff isolated perfused rat heart. The deferoxamine treated hearts were significantly (p less than .001) better preserved than the control hearts after 24 h of preservation with regard to recovery of left ventricular diastolic pressure, contractility (+dP/dt), relaxation (-dP/dt), creatine kinase release, and lipid peroxidation. DFR preserved cell membrane integrity and maintained 93% of left ventricular contractility. The evidence suggests that DFR reduces lipid peroxidation damage by reducing free radical formation and thereby maintaining normal coronary perfusion flow and myocardial function.

Animals↗

PubMed1997

Evaluation of the effects of mivacurium chloride on hemodynamics and left ventricular function in patients with coronary artery disease undergoing abdominal aortic surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effects of two doses of mivacurium chloride on hemodynamics and left ventricular function in patients with documented coronary artery disease undergoing aortic surgery. DESIGN: A prospective study with the dose of mivacurium determined by randomization. SETTING: Induction area at a university hospital. PARTICIPANTS: Twenty consecutive patients undergoing aortic surgery with clinically and/or angiographically documented coronary artery disease. INTERVENTIONS: Intravenous administration of mivacurium chloride. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Induction of anesthesia was performed with midazolam and fentanyl. Two different doses of mivacurium chloride, 0.15 mg/kg (n = 10) and 0.2 mg/kg (n = 10; 2 and 2.5 ED95; respectively), were administered as a single bolus injection over a 60-second period in the absence of any surgical stimulation. In addition to standard hemodynamic monitoring, pulmonary artery catheterization and transesophageal echocardiography were used. The occurrence of myocardial ischemia was monitored using both a computerized three-lead ST-segment analysis system and the echocardiographic assessment of regional wall motion. No change in heart rate, mean arterial pressure, pulmonary capillary wedge pressure, cardiac output, and global left ventricular function was noted after administration of mivacurium with the two doses studied. No ST-segment change or new segmental wall motion abnormality was noted in either group. CONCLUSION: Mivacurium chloride, when injected over a 60-second period, preserves global and regional myocardial function in patients with documented coronary artery disease undergoing noncardiac surgery.

Adult↗

PubMed1987

[Left ventricular function at rest and during exercise and the effects of propranolol in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy].

To determine left ventricular function during the stress of exercise and to evaluate the effects of propranolol on it in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), the ECG-multigated blood pool cardiac scintigraphy was performed in 12 without (HNCM) and 10 with (HOCM) left ventricular outflow obstruction at rest and during bicycle ergometer loading. The results were compared to those in 13 normal subjects. 1. Control measurements: Resting and exercise heart rates and blood pressures did not significantly differ between patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy and normal subjects. Ejection fraction (EF) was normal or higher in HCM than in normal subjects at rest, but during exercise it failed to increase normally. The increment in cardiac output was half of the normal value. Responses of count-derived end-diastolic volume (EDV) and stroke volume (SV) were different between HOCM and HNCM. They were unchanged during exercise in HNCM and declined in HOCM. End-systolic volume (ESV) was unchanged in HNCM and slightly decreased in HOCM. Responses of the peak ejection rate (PER) and time to the peak ejection rate (TPE) were not significantly different from normal subjects. Left ventricular (LV) ejection time (ET) and TPE/ET were not different from normal subjects. The peak filling rate (PFR) was significantly higher than normal in HOCM at rest and during exercise. The time to peak filling rate was prolonged at rest in HOCM, but not during exercise. 2. Effects of propranolol: Heart rates significantly decreased especially after intravenous propranolol administration. Cardiac output (CO) and SV were unchanged. EDV and ESV increased significantly. The PER was unchanged. The PFR decreased, but not significantly. TPE, time to the PFR (TPF) and ET were prolonged. The ratio of TPE/ET decreased initially, but abruptly increased later. In conclusion, in the control state of HCM patients, the responses of LVEF, EDV and ESV to exercise were abnormal and CO remained half of the normal. There was no difference between patients with and without obstruction. The effect of propranolol on left ventricular function was more obvious in patients with obstruction than without obstruction, especially in ESV, EDV, PFR and TPF. Propranolol did not improve LV systolic and diastolic functions, but the double product decreased depending on the decrease of heart rate maintaining CO by Frank-Starling mechanism due to increased EDV, which may play a part in improving subjective complaints.

Administration, Oral↗

PubMed1999

Left ventricular function at rest and during bicycle exercise in normal subjects: assessment by ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPET with 99Tcm-tetrofosmin.

99Tcm-labelled myocardial perfusion tracers allow simultaneous assessment of myocardial perfusion and left ventricular function using ECG-gated SPET. The aim of this study was to evaluate left ventricular performance during exercise by means of ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPET. After the administration of 99Tcm-tetrofosmin (555-740 MBq), eight healthy volunteers aged 27-49 years underwent ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPET at rest and during supine submaximal exercise (75 and 125 W), for 3 min each. Using ECG-gated SPET data, left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV) demonstrated a biphasic response during exercise (from 106.4 +/- 17.5 to 119.9 +/- 19.9 to 108.1 +/- 19.2 ml). In contrast, left ventricular end-systolic volume decreased gradually and significantly during exercise (from 47.1 +/- 11.9 to 41.5 +/- 8.9 to 36.1 +/- 10.1 ml; P < 0.05), and left ventricular ejection fraction continued to increase at higher workloads (from 56.1 +/- 6.0 to 63.0 +/- 2.7 to 67.0 +/- 4.3; P < 0.01) despite a fall in LVEDV. There was a progressive increase in cardiac output during exercise, which reached a peak of 7.2 +/- 0.9 l.min-1. We conclude that ECG-gated myocardial perfusion SPET can assess left ventricular function during exercise and may provide useful information for the evaluation of patients with ischaemic heart disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1982

Echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular size, shape and function--advantages and limitations of this method.

Both M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiographies are now available in most institutions and hospitals. Correct understanding of the characteristics of M-mode and two-dimensional echocardiography, such as time resolution, will lead us to a successful application of each of these two displays. Detection of changes in ventricular wall and visualization of segmental wall motion are the most unique abilities in echocardiography. These characteristics permit echocardiographic evaluation of left ventricular function. Left ventricular size, shape and function are not independent parameters, but are interrelated. Various parameters on left ventricular function are calculated from the dimensions of the left ventricle. However, these estimations are valid only when the dimensional determination is optimized and all the assumptions on the model of the left ventricle are satisfied. The simultaneous display system of M-mode and two dimensional echocardiograms on the same frame has been shown particularly useful for an optimization of the measurements. For ischemic heart disease, a knowledge of regional function of the left ventricle and the analysis of segment wall motion are indispensable. One of the major problems in evaluating the left ventricle using echocardiography is a limited acoustic window. A combination of standard parasternal approaches and other approaches is commonly required for obtaining an entire image of the left ventricle.

Cardiac Volume↗

PubMed1991

Coronary patency, infarct size and left ventricular function after thrombolytic therapy for acute myocardial infarction: results from the tissue plasminogen activator: Toronto (TPAT) placebo-controlled trial. TPAT Study Group.

Infarct size, left ventricular function and infarct-related coronary artery patency were examined in 108 patients who took part in a previously reported placebo-controlled trial of recombinant tissue-type plasminogen activator (rt-PA) in acute myocardial infarction. Coronary angiography was performed 17 +/- 0.8 h after initiation of treatment in 47 patients (group A) or at 10 days in 61 patients (group B). Both groups underwent radionuclide ventriculography 3.8 +/- 0.8 h and again on day 9 after treatment and quantitative thallium scintigraphy on day 8. In group A, the infarct-related artery was patent in 53%; these patients had a smaller global (15.1 +/- 2.5% vs. 25.7 +/- 4.7%, p = 0.029) and regional (14.7 +/- 2.5% vs. 24.1 +/- 4.7%, p = 0.044) fixed thallium defect than did those with an occluded artery. Infarct regional ejection fraction improved by 10.1 +/- 2.1% between early and late studies when the infarct-related artery was patent and by 4.8 +/- 1.4% if it was occluded (p = 0.048); changes in global and noninfarct regional ejection fraction were similar irrespective of perfusion status. Infarct regional ejection fraction and fixed thallium defect were inversely related only when the infarct-related artery was occluded (r = -0.83, p less than 0.0001). In group B, 10 day patency of the infarct-related artery was 67%; there was no difference in patency by treatment assignment or in left ventricular function or infarct size between patients with and without infarct-related artery patency. There was no evidence of an effect of rt-PA therapy beyond that expressed through coronary patency alone in either group A or group B.

Coronary Vessels↗

PubMed1995

The relationship of left ventricular geometry and hypertrophy to left ventricular function in valvular heart disease.

Valvular heart disease imposes a hemodynamic load on the left or right ventricle. This load is compensated by the development of ventricular hypertrophy. The pattern of hypertrophy which develops is characteristic of each type of valvular lesion with concentric hypertrophy compensating the pressure overload of aortic stenosis, eccentric hypertrophy compensating the volume overload of mitral regurgitation and both concentric and eccentric hypertrophy compensating the combined pressure and volume overload of aortic regurgitation. While these patterns are characteristic, there is substantial variation in the geometric distribution of hypertrophy among individuals with the same valvular disease. This variability in turn produces variability in the amount of compensation from patient to patient. The geometric pattern of hypertrophy which develops primarily affects left ventricular function as it relates to the Laplace equation. An increase in the radius to thickness ratio increases wall stress while a decrease in this ratio decreases wall stress. Discussed below are the mechanisms by which the various geometries that develop in valvular heart disease affect loading to become adaptive or maladaptive or both.

Aortic Valve Insufficiency↗

PubMed1994

Impaired left ventricular function, one- or two-vessel coronary artery disease, and severe ischemia: outcome with medical therapy versus revascularization.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether patients with impaired left ventricular function and one- or two-vessel coronary artery disease who manifest severe ischemia during exercise radionuclide angiography have a lower rate of subsequent cardiac events when initial management is revascularization rather than medical therapy. DESIGN: During a median follow-up of 100 months, we compared the outcome between 37 patients who underwent a revascularization procedure and 22 who received medical therapy at the Mayo Clinic between September 1980 and December 1985. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The revascularization therapy consisted of coronary artery bypass grafting in 31 patients and coronary angioplasty in 6. Overall survival and survival free of initial cardiac events were compared statistically for the medically and surgically treated patients. RESULTS: Eleven deaths occurred in the patients who received medical therapy and 9 in the revascularization group. Five-year overall survival was 58% in the medically treated patients versus 84% in the revascularization group. A significant association was noted between type of treatment and overall survival (adjusted chi 2 = 6.20; P = 0.013). Twenty patients had initial cardiac events--7 in the medically treated group (3 cardiac deaths and 4 nonfatal myocardial infarctions) and 13 in the revascularization group (3 cardiac deaths, 3 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests, and 7 nonfatal myocardial infarctions). Survival free of cardiac events at 5 years was 72% in the medically treated patients and 66% in those who underwent revascularization. No association was detected between type of treatment and survival free of cardiac events. CONCLUSION: These nonrandomized data suggest that overall survival for patients with one- or two-vessel coronary artery disease, impaired left ventricular function, and severe exercise-induced ischemia may be improved by revascularization, but the subsequent cardiac event rates are not.

Aged↗

PubMed1980

Effects of isometric handgrip and dynamic exercise on left-ventricular function.

Radionuclide angiocardiography was used to assess cardiac function during isometric handgrip and bicycle exercise in ten normal volunteers and in 20 patients with documented coronary artery disease. Handgrip stress evoked a small increase in cardiac output that resulted from a concomitant increase in heart rate and no change in left-ventricular function. The most reliable criterion for diagnosis of coronary artery disease by handgrip was development of a new well-motion abnormality. However, abnormal wall motion was observed in only 45% of patients with coronary artery disease and in one of the ten normal subjects. In normal subjects, left ventricular function during bicycle exercise was characterized by an increase in left-ventricular ejection fraction with little change in cardiac volumes. The failure to increase left-ventricular ejection fraction by at least 0.05 identified 19 to 20 patients with coronary artery disease with no false positives. Therefore, bicycle exercise evokes a more dramatic cardiovascular response than handgrip stress and is the preferable stress modality for inducing abnormalities of left-ventricular function for detection of coronary artery disease.

Adult↗

PubMed1970

Pressure-flow studies in man: effect of atrial systole on left ventricular function.

In order to evaluate the effects of atrial contraction on left ventricular function, the pressure gradient technique was used to measure instantaneous aortic blood flow and pressure in nine patients, six having complete heart block and three having normal sinus rhythm. From these data both left ventricular stroke volume and stroke work were calculated. Ventricular rate was controlled by transvenous right ventricular pacing over a range of 50-158 beats/min. At each heart rate, beats which were not preceded by a P wave served as controls. The other beats were divided into six groups according to the duration of the preceding PR interval. The results indicated that stroke volume and stroke work were always affected similarly. In one patient the presence of a P wave did not alter the subsequent stroke volume significantly. In the other patients, beats preceded by P waves had stroke volumes greater than the controls. In general, there was no difference in stroke volume for beats preceded by a P wave having a PR interval within the range of 0.05-0.20 sec. As the PR interval lengthened beyond 0.20 sec stroke volume tended to decrease, especially at more rapid heart rates. The absolute increase in stroke volume after a beat preceded by a P wave (PR interval 0.05-0.20 sec) was quite variable among the patients. For a given patient the absolute increase in stroke volume was essentially independent of heart rate. The percentage change in stroke volume, however, was always greater as the heart rate increased. These data indicate that in most patients atrial systole is important in augmenting ventricular stroke volume and stroke work especially at high heart rates, but the magnitude of these effects are quite variable among patients.

Adult↗

PubMed1990

Assessment of left ventricular function after sublingual administration of nifedipine in patients with moderate to severe hypertension.

To evaluate the left ventricular functional changes induced by acute decreases in blood pressure in 15 patients with systemic hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy, this study used Doppler and M-mode echocardiographic derived left ventricular indices. After 30 minutes of administration of sublingual nifedipine, both systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased and heart rates increased. The left ventricular end-systolic dimension decreased but not the end-diastolic dimension, which suggests that sublingual nifedipine may decrease only afterload, not preload. Total peripheral resistance decreased from 2770 to 1960 dyne.sec.cm-5. The M-mode-derived peak rate of dimension changes improved both the systolic and diastolic phase, and Doppler-derived indices of atrial contribution to ventricular filling decreased. Because both the systolic and diastolic phase indices of LV function are sensitive to variations in both preload and afterload, the improvement of myocardial contractility per se cannot necessarily be attributed to the direct effect of the drug to myocardium. Though favorable effects on the myocardial oxygen supply-demand ratio or increased adrenergic tone stimulated by the decline in systemic arterial pressures may contribute to the augmentation of LV systolic and diastolic function observed after nifedipine in the present study, the apparent augmentation of LV function appears to be attributable primarily to afterload reduction.

Administration, Sublingual↗

PubMed1984

Mechanisms of improved left ventricular function following intravenous MDL 17,043 in patients with severe chronic heart failure.

To evaluate the mechanisms for improved left ventricular function with MDL 17,043 in patients with severe chronic heart failure, 24 patients were evaluated by simultaneous determination of hemodynamics by right heart catheterization and ejection fraction by computerized nuclear probe before and following intravenous administration of MDL 17,043 (mean cumulative dose 3.6 mg/kg). Following MDL 17,043, there was an increase in cardiac index (+62%), stroke volume index (+42%), and stroke work index (+68%), together with a decrease in pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (-46%), indicating improved left ventricular pump function. There was a marked reduction in systemic vascular resistance (-40%) and a modest reduction in arterial pressure, indicating decreased left ventricular outflow resistance. The ratio of peak systolic blood pressure to calculated left ventricular end-systolic volume tended to increase, but the change was not statistically significant. Despite a marked increment in stroke volume index, left ventricular ejection time corrected for heart rate was shortened, suggesting enhanced contractility. In the group as a whole, the calculated left ventricular end-diastolic volume remained unchanged, but it increased in 14 patients. Since pulmonary capillary wedge pressure fell in each patient, this suggests improved overall left ventricular distensibility. Thus, decreased left ventricular outflow resistance, and possibly increased contractile function, and improved left ventricular diastolic compliance may all contribute to improved left ventricular pump function with MDL 17,043 in patients with severe heart failure.

Aged↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Impact of stentless aortic valves on left ventricular function and hypertrophy: current best available evidence.

Past four decades have seen a gradual evolution in aortic valve replacement surgery. The ideal valve substitute should combine central flow, low transvalvular gradient, low thrombogenicity, durability, easy availability, resistance to infection, freedom from anticoagulation, and easy implantability. Although there are several types of valves available to replace the diseased aortic valve-autograft, allograft, xenograft, mechanical, and bioprosthetic valves-none is ideal. On one end of the spectrum is the pulmonary autograft, which comes closest to achieving these goals, but creates a double valve procedure for single valve disease, while on the other end are the mechanical valves and stented tissue valves, which allow easy "off the shelf" availability as well as easy implantability but are limited by the potential drawback of causing intrinsic obstruction to some extent because of the space occupied by the stent and sewing ring. Stentless xenograft aortic valves have been developed as a compromise between these ends of the valve spectrum. Stentless aortic valves have been reported to provide more physiologic hemodynamic behavior and cause more timely and thorough regression of ventricular hypertrophy. This review article attempts to evaluate current best available evidence from randomized controlled trials to assess the impact of stentless aortic valves on left ventricular function and hypertrophy.

Aortic Valve↗

PubMed2001

Reference values for left ventricular function in subjects under general anaesthesia and controlled ventilation assessed by two-dimensional transoesophageal echocardiography.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Transoesophageal echocardiography is increasingly used for evaluation and monitoring of left ventricular function in anaesthetized patients. However, the only available reference values for transoesophageal echocardiography were derived from studies in awake subjects. METHODS: We determined left ventricular dimensions and systolic function in 45 patients without clinical evidence of heart disease who voluntarily underwent transesophageal echocardiography under conditions of balanced general anaesthesia, controlled fluid administration, supine position, muscle relaxation and controlled ventilation. RESULTS: The left ventricular dimensions obtained during these conditions were lower than the published normal values in awake subjects. The indices of global left ventricular function, however, were similar to the normal values obtained by either awake transesophageal echocardiography or transthoracic echocardiography. CONCLUSION: We propose using the values obtained in our study as reference values for evaluation of left ventricular function in patients under general anaesthesia and controlled ventilation.

Adult↗

PubMed1981

[Echocardiography for the evaluation of tricuspid atresia. II. Analysis of the left ventricular function (author's transl)].

Twenty-five patients with tricuspid atresia, ranging in age between 2 months and 23 years, previously morphologically studied, were assessed by M-mode echocardiography with regard to left ventricular function. Fifteen of them underwent palliative cardiac surgery (systemic-pulmonary anastomosis). Thirty normal subjects, same age and sex, were selected as controls. Patients with tricuspid atresia had a significant increase of left ventricular dimensions and mass and significant decrease of shortening fraction and ejection fraction. The left ventricular pre-ejection/ejection ratio (LPEP/LVET) was significantly higher in patients with tricuspid atresia compared to normals. In patients without surgical shunt there was no significant correlation between Qp/Qs determined by oximetry and the end-diastolic dimension and left ventricular function parameters. In patients with surgical shunt a significant correlation was found between ejection fraction, shortening fraction, systolic time intervals and Qp/Qs. Qp/Qs significantly correlated with end-diastolic dimension. Shortening fraction and ejection fraction were higher in patients with satisfactory systemic saturation, while left ventricular mass was increased in patients with longstanding surgical shunt. These data suggest that patients with tricuspid atresia, with or without surgical shunt, may present with a decreased left ventricular function, early detectable by echocardiography.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2003

Improved regional left ventricular function after successful satellite cell grafting in rabbits with myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether satellite cells injected into infarct areas in rabbits remain viable during 6 weeks follow-up and can improve cardiac function as assessed by echocardiography. METHODS: Myocardial infarction was induced in 16 New Zealand white rabbits, by ligation of the marginalis sinistra artery. Tissue from gluteus muscle biopsies was dissected into small pieces and cultured. Within 2-3 weeks the cells were expanded by 2-3 orders of magnitude and were fluorescent labeled. Single cell pellets for resuspension at >10(6)/1 ml were directly injected into the infarct areas in 8 rabbits. In 8 additional rabbits, 1 ml saline was injected (control). Regional left ventricular function was assessed weekly by 2-D echocardiography until animals were sacrificed. Analysis was performed blind and independently by two experienced echocardiographers, based on the American Society of Echocardiography scheme. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: Six treated and five control rabbits completed the study. One week after the artery occlusion, left ventricular function scoring did not differ between groups, mean 8.7+/-1.6 vs 8.3+/-1.9 (P=0.74). At 6 weeks post-injection, echocardiographic score was significantly better in the treated group, mean 2.6+/-0.9 vs 6.9+/-2.1 (P=0.002). The treated group showed significant gradual segmental improvement between the first week up to week 6. After sacrifice, macro and microscopic transmural areas showed typical changes of myocardial infarction. Histochemical staining identified viable grafted cells in high density 6 weeks post-transplantation in all grafted hearts. CONCLUSION: Autologous satellite cells (skeletal myofiber), can be successfully grafted into rabbit hearts following myocardial infarction and may induce improved regional left ventricular function.

Animals↗