Laia Brines

Modifications of mechanoelectric feedback induced by 2,3-butanedione monoxime and Blebbistatin in Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts.

Myocardial stretching is an arrhythmogenic factor. Optical techniques and mechanical uncouplers are used to study the mechanoelectric feedback. The aim of this study is to determine whether the mechanical uncouplers 2,3‐butanedione monoxime and Blebbistatin hinder or modify the electrophysiological effects of acute mechanical stretch.

Evaluation of the Complexity of Myocardial Activation During Ventricular Fibrillation. An Experimental Study

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES An experimental model is used to analyze the characteristics of ventricular fibrillation in situations of variable complexity, establishing relationships among the data produced by different methods for analyzing the arrhythmia. METHODS In 27 isolated rabbit heart preparations studied under the action of drugs (propranolol and KB-R7943) or physical procedures (stretching) that produce different degrees of change in the complexity of myocardial activation during ventricular fibrillation, use was made of spectral, morphological, and mapping techniques to process the recordings obtained with epicardial multielectrodes. RESULTS The complexity of ventricular fibrillation assessed by mapping techniques was related to the dominant frequency, normalized spectral energy, signal regularity index, and their corresponding coefficients of variation, as well as the area of the regions of interest identified on the basis of these parameters. In the multivariate analysis, we used as independent variables the area of the regions of interest related to the spectral energy and the coefficient of variation of the energy (complexity index=-0.005×area of the spectral energy regions -2.234×coefficient of variation of the energy+1.578; P=.0001; r=0.68). CONCLUSIONS The spectral and morphological indicators and, independently, those derived from the analysis of normalized energy regions of interest provide a reliable approach to the evaluation of the complexity of ventricular fibrillation as an alternative to complex mapping techniques.

Experimental Study of the Effects of EIPA, Losartan, and BQ-123 on Electrophysiological Changes Induced by Myocardial Stretch

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES Mechanical response to myocardial stretch has been explained by various mechanisms, which include Na(+)/H(+) exchanger activation by autocrine-paracrine system activity. Drug-induced changes were analyzed to investigate the role of these mechanisms in the electrophysiological responses to acute myocardial stretch. METHODS Multiple epicardial electrodes and mapping techniques were used to analyze changes in ventricular fibrillation induced by acute myocardial stretch in isolated perfused rabbit hearts. Four series were studied: control (n = 9); during perfusion with the angiotensin receptor blocker losartan (1 μM, n = 8); during perfusion with the endothelin A receptor blocker BQ-123 (0.1 μM, n = 9), and during perfusion with the Na(+)/H(+) exchanger inhibitor EIPA (5-[N-ethyl-N-isopropyl]-amiloride) (1 μM, n = 9). RESULTS EIPA attenuated the increase in the dominant frequency of stretch-induced fibrillation (control=40.4%; losartan=36% [not significant]; BQ-123=46% [not significant]; and EIPA=22% [P<.001]). During stretch, the activation maps were less complex (P<.0001) and the spectral concentration of the arrhythmia was greater (greater regularity) in the EIPA series: control=18 (3%); EIPA = 26 (9%) (P < .02); losartan=18 (5%) (not significant); and BQ-123=18 (4%) (not significant). CONCLUSIONS The Na(+)/H(+) exchanger inhibitor EIPA attenuated the electrophysiological effects responsible for the acceleration and increased complexity of ventricular fibrillation induced by acute myocardial stretch. The angiotensin II receptor antagonist losartan and the endothelin A receptor blocker BQ-123 did not modify these effects.

Effects of JTV-519 on stretch-induced manifestations of mechanoelectric feedback

JTV‐519 is a 1,4‐benzothiazepine derivative with multichannel effects that inhibits Ca2+ release from the sarcoplasmic reticulum and stabilizes the closed state of the ryanodine receptor, preventing myocardial damage and the induction of arrhythmias during Ca2+ overload. Mechanical stretch increases cellular Na+ inflow, activates the reverse mode of the Na+/Ca2+ exchanger, and modifies Ca2+ handling and myocardial electrophysiology, favoring arrhythmogenesis. This study aims to determine whether JTV‐519 modifies the stretch‐induced manifestations of mechanoelectric feedback. The ventricular fibrillation (VF) modifications induced by acute stretch were studied in Langendorff‐perfused rabbit hearts using epicardial multiple electrodes under control conditions (n=9) or during JTV‐519 perfusion: 0.1 μmol/L (n=9) and 1 μmol/L (n=9). Spectral and mapping techniques were used to establish the baseline, stretch and post‐stretch VF characteristics. JTV‐519 slowed baseline VF and decreased activation complexity. These effects were dose‐dependent (baseline VF dominant frequency: control=13.9±2.2 Hz; JTV 0.1 μmol/L=11.1±1.1 Hz, P<.01; JTV 1 μmol/L=6.6±1.1 Hz, P<.0001). The stretch‐induced acceleration of VF (control=38.8%) was significantly reduced by JTV‐519 0.1 μmol/L (19.8%) and abolished by JTV 1 μmol/L (−1.5%). During stretch, the VF activation complexity index was reduced in both JTV‐519 series (control=1.60±0.15; JTV 0.1 μmol/L=1.13±0.3, P<.0001; JTV 1 μmol/L=0.57±0.21, P<.0001), and was independently related to VF dominant frequency (R=.82; P<.0001). The fifth percentile of the VF activation intervals, conduction velocity and wavelength entered the multiple linear regression model using dominant frequency as the dependent variable (R=−.84; P<.0001). In conclusion, JTV‐519 slowed and simplified the baseline VF activation patterns and abolished the stretch‐induced manifestations of mechanoelectric feedback.