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Updated: Jun 23, 2025
Pre-clinical Model of Cardiac Donation after Circulatory Death
Published on: August 2, 2019
Ischemic Post-Conditioning in a Rat Model of Asphyxial Cardiac Arrest
Matthew B Barajas1,2, Takuro Oyama2, Masakazu Shiota3
1Department of Anesthesiology, Tennessee Valley Healthcare System, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Nashville, TN 37212, USA.
Background:
Ischemic post-conditioning (IPoC) has been shown to improve outcomes in limited pre-clinical models. As down-time is often unknown, this technique needs to be investigated over a range of scenarios. As this tool limits reperfusion injury, there may be limited benefit or even harm after short arrest and limited ischemia-reperfusion injury.
Methods:
Eighteen male Wistar rats underwent 7 min of asphyxial arrest. Animals randomized to IPoC received a 20 s pause followed by 20 s of compressions, repeated four times, initiated 40 s into cardiopulmonary resuscitation. If return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) was achieved, epinephrine was titrated to mean arterial pressure (MAP) of 70 mmHg. Data were analyzed using t-test or Mann-Whitney test. Significance set at p ≤ 0.05.
Results:
The rate of ROSC was equivalent in both groups, 88%. There was no statistically significant difference in time to ROSC, epinephrine required post ROSC, carotid flow, or peak lactate at any timepoint. There was a significantly elevated MAP with IPoC, 90.7 mmHg (SD 13.9), as compared to standard CPR, 76.7 mmHg (8.5), 2 h after ROSC, p = 0.03.
Conclusions:
IPoC demonstrated no harm in a model of short arrest using a new arrest etiology for CPR based IPoC intervention in a rat model.
