Open AccessEffects of a high‐fat diet on the electrical properties of porcine atria
Author(s) -
Okumura Yasuo,
Watanabe Ichiro,
Nagashima Koichi,
Sonoda Kazumasa,
Sasaki Naoko,
Kogawa Rikitake,
Takahashi Keiko,
Iso Kazuki,
Ohkubo Kimie,
Nakai Toshiko,
Takahashi Rie,
Taniguchi Yoshiki,
Mitsumata Masako,
Nikaido Mizuki,
Hirayama Atsushi
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of arrhythmia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.463
H-Index - 21
eISSN - 1883-2148
pISSN - 1880-4276
DOI - 10.1016/j.joa.2015.05.004
Subject(s) - medicine , atrial fibrillation , sinus rhythm , pulmonary vein , cardiology , atrium (architecture) , effective refractory period , body weight , animal study , endocrinology , refractory period , surgery
Background Because obesity is an important risk factor for atrial fibrillation (AF), we conducted an animal study to examine the effect of a high‐fat diet (HFD) on atrial properties and AF inducibility. Methods Ten 8‐week‐old pigs (weight, 18–23 kg) were divided into two groups. For 18 weeks, five pigs were fed a HFD (HFD group) and five were fed a normal diet (control group). Maps of atrial activation and voltages during sinus rhythm were created for all pigs using the EnSite NavX system. Effective refractory period (ERP) and AF inducibility were also determined. When AF was induced, complex fractionated atrial electrogram (CFAE) mapping was performed. At 18 weeks, hearts were removed for comparing the results of histological analysis between the two groups. Body weight, lipid levels, hemodynamics, cardiac structures, and electrophysiological properties were also compared. Results Total cholesterol levels were significantly higher (347 [191–434] vs. 81 [67–88] mg/dL, P =0.0088), and left atrium pressure was higher (34.5 [25.6–39.5] vs. 24.5 [21.3–27.8] mmHg, P =0.0833) in the HFD group than in the control group, although body weight only increased marginally (89 [78–101] vs . 70 [66–91] kg, P =0.3472). ERPs of the pulmonary vein (PV) were shorter ( P <0.05) and AF lasted longer in the HFD group than in the control group (80 [45–1350] vs. 22 [3–30] s, P =0.0212). Neither CFAE site distribution nor histopathological characteristics differed between the two groups. Conclusions The shorter ERPs for the PV observed in response to the HFD increased vulnerability to AF, and these electrophysiological characteristics may underlie obesity‐related AF.