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Chronic heart failure model induced by coronary embolization in sheep
M Zietkiewicz1, B Perek, B Meyns
1Center for Experimental Surgery and Anaesthesiology, Catholic University Leuven, Belgium.
Objective:
To create a model of chronic heart failure in a large animal.
Methods:
Heart failure was induced in sheep by single intracoronary injection of polymer macrobeads, which were administered into left main coronary artery (n=3) or selectively into left anterior descending (n=4) or left circumflex (n=5) coronary artery. The animals were followed by echocardigraphy for 20 weeks. Measurements comprised fractional area change (FAC), and diastolic ventricular area (EDVA) and regional wall-thickening fraction (WT%).
Results:
EDVA increased from 14.2+/-2.1 cm2 prior to embolization to 16.9+/-3.1 cm2 on day 1 (p<0.05), and remained significantly increased until completion of the follow-up period. FAC dropped from 47.9+/-4.6% at baseline to 29.3+/-4.4% on day 1 (p<0.001) and remained significantly depressed until 20 weeks later. In 9 selectively embolized animals WT% of the embolized area decreased from 33.8+/-8.0% at baseline to 5.3+/-2.6% on day 1 and remained significantly decreased.
Conclusions:
A simple model of chronic heart failure was developed. It shows relatively high stability over time and may prove beneficial in experimental work on ventricular assist devices.