Coronary Microvascular Dysfunction in Acute Cholestasis-Induced Liver Injury.

Background: Previous studies have shown cardiac abnormalities in acute liver injury, suggesting a potential role in the associated high mortality.

Methods: We designed an experimental study exploring the short-term effects of acute cholestasis-induced liver injury on cardiac function and structure in a rodent bile duct ligation (BDL) model to elucidate the potential interplay. Thirty-seven male rats were subjected to BDL surgery ( = 28) or served as sham-operated ( = 9) controls.

Intrinsic mechanisms of right ventricular autoregulation.

To elucidate the adaptation of the right ventricle to acute and intermittently sustained afterload elevation, targeted preload reductions and afterload increases were implemented in a porcine model involving 12 pigs. Preload reduction was achieved via balloon occlusion of the inferior vena cava before, immediately and 5 min after acute afterload elevation induced by pulmonary artery occlusion or thromboxane A2 analog (U46619) infusion. Ventricular response was monitored by registration of pressure-volume (PV) loops using a conductance catheter.

Evaluation of score parameters for severity assessment of surgery and liver cirrhosis in rats.

Severity assessment in animals is an ongoing field of research. In particular, the question of objectifiable and meaningful parameters of score-sheets, as well as their best combination, arise. This retrospective analysis investigates the suitability of a score-sheet for assessing severity and seeks to optimise it for predicting survival in 89 male Sprague Dawley rats (), during an experiment evaluating the influence of liver cirrhosis by bile duct ligation (BDL) on vascular healing.

Experimental Liver Cirrhosis Inhibits Restenosis after Balloon Angioplasty.

The effect of liver cirrhosis on vascular remodeling in vivo remains unknown. Therefore, this study investigates the influence of cholestatic liver cirrhosis on carotid arterial remodeling. A total of 79 male Sprague Dawley rats underwent bile duct ligation (cirrhotic group) or sham surgery (control group) and 28 days later left carotid artery balloon dilatation; 3, 7, 14 and 28 days after balloon dilatation, the rats were euthanized and carotid arteries were harvested.

Cirrhotic Cardiomyopathy Following Bile Duct Ligation in Rats-A Matter of Time?

Cirrhotic patients often suffer from cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM). Previous animal models of CCM were inconsistent concerning the time and mechanism of injury; thus, the temporal dynamics and cardiac vulnerability were studied in more detail. Rats underwent bile duct ligation (BDL) and a second surgery 28 days later.

In Vivo Evaluation of a Novel Control Algorithm for Left Ventricular Assist Devices Based Upon Ventricular Stroke Work.

The physical fitness of patients with terminal heart failure and an implanted left ventricular assist device (LVAD) might be improved by load-adaptive control of the LVAD. In this study, three control strategies for LVAD were compared in eight pigs: (1) a constant stroke work (CSW) control strategy that ensures a constant ventricular load using ventricular stroke work as the control variable; (2) a work ratio (WR) controller that maintains a constant ratio of ventricular work to hydraulic pump work; and (3) a controller that maintains the pump pace at a constant speed (CS). Biventricular heart insufficiency was induced by increased isoflurane application, and preload, afterload, and contractility alterations were performed.

Serum from Patients with Severe Alcoholic Liver Cirrhosis Inhibits Proliferation and Migration of Human Coronary Artery Smooth Muscle Cells.

Liver cirrhosis has been associated with an increased risk of coronary artery disease and clinical complications following percutaneous coronary revascularization. The present study is based on the hypothesis that cirrhosis may influence intimal hyperplasia following PCI. Sera from 10 patients with alcoholic liver cirrhosis and 10 age-matched healthy controls were used to stimulate cultured human coronary artery smooth muscle cells (HCASMC) for 48 h.

Acute myocardial injury secondary to severe acute liver failure: A retrospective analysis supported by animal data.

To investigate whether acute liver failure (ALF) leads to secondary acute myocardial injury, 100 ALF patients that were retrospectively identified in a single center based on ICD 10 codes and 8 rats from an experimental study that died early after bile duct ligation (BDL) were examined. Creatine kinase (CK), creatine kinase-MB isoenzyme (CKMB) and cardiac troponin-I (cTnI) were analyzed as markers of myocardial injury. For histological analysis, hematoxylin-eosin (HE), elastic Van Gieson (EVG), CD41 and myeloperoxidase were used to stain rat hearts.

evaluation of two adaptive Starling-like control algorithms for left ventricular assist devices.

The implantation of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) is often the only therapy in terminal heart failure (HF). However, despite technical advancements, the physical fitness of the patients is still limited. One strategy to improve the benefits of ventricular assist device therapy might be the implementation of load adaptive control strategies.

Non-linearity of end-systolic pressure-volume relation in afterload increases is caused by an overlay of shortening deactivation and the Frank-Starling mechanism.

The linearity and load insensitivity of the end-systolic pressure-volume-relationship (ESPVR), a parameter that describes the ventricular contractile state, are controversial. We hypothesize that linearity is influenced by a variable overlay of the intrinsic mechanism of autoregulation to afterload (shortening deactivation) and preload (Frank-Starling mechanism). To study the effect of different short-term loading alterations on the shape of the ESPVR, experiments on twenty-four healthy pigs were executed.

Oxygen inhalation improves postoperative survival in ketamine-xylazine anaesthetised rats: An observational study.

Objective: A simple but reliable and safe anaesthetic procedure is required for surgical interventions in small rodents. Combined ketamine and xylazine injections are often used in rats for less invasive surgery, possibly with spontaneous breathing and without airway management. However, there are important pitfalls to be avoided by special precautions and monitoring, as shown subsequently.