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Induction of Atrial Fibrillation and Nerve Sprouting by Prolonged Left Atrial Pacing in Dogs
Author(s) -
AKIRA HAMABE,
CHANG CHEMING,
ZHOU SHENGMEI,
CHOU CHUNGCHUAN,
YI JOHNNY,
MIYAUCHI YASUSHI,
OKUYAMA YUJI,
FISHBEIN MICHAEL C.,
KARAGUEUZIAN HRAYR S.,
CHEN PHD; LAN S.,
CHEN PENGSHENG
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
pacing and clinical electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.686
H-Index - 101
eISSN - 1540-8159
pISSN - 0147-8389
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8159.2003.00355.x
Subject(s) - medicine , sprouting , stimulation , atrial fibrillation , cardiology , anesthesia , biology , botany
The authors hypothesized that rapid electrical stimulation can induce nerve sprouting in canine atria, and that LA pacing is more effective than RA pacing in inducing sustained AF. Chronic rapid (20 Hz) LA epicardial pacing was performed in six dogs. Sustained AF (>48 hours) was induced within 23 ± 8 days, which was much faster than that with RA endocardial pacing using the same protocol (139 ± 84 days, P < 0.05). Nerves were identified by immunocytochemical techniques. In all dogs, growth‐associated protein 43‐positive (sprouting) nerve density was highest near the pacing site, and the rapid LA pacing resulted in differential nerve sprouting among the LA, left superior pulmonary vein (LSPV), interatrial septum (IAS), and RA (5521 ± 1496, 3154 ± 2355, 3953 ± 1164, 1559 ± 1077 μm 2 /mm 2 , respectively, P = 0.0032). Tyrosine hydroxylase‐positive (sympathetic) nerve density were not significantly different among groups (2726 ± 1165, 1586 ± 558, 2156 ± 1741, 1509 ± 1242 μm 2 /mm 2 , respectively). The nerves were inhomogeneously distributed. LA epicardial pacing induced sustained AF much faster than RA endocardial pacing and rapid electrical stimulation can induce inhomogeneous nerve sprouting near the pacing site. (PACE 2003; 26:2247–2252)