Brain stem death induces pro-inflammatory cytokine production and cardiac dysfunction in sheep model.

Introduction: Organs procured following brain stem death (BSD) are the main source of organ grafts for transplantation. However, BSD is associated with inflammatory responses that may damage the organ and affect both the quantity and quality of organs available for transplant. Therefore, we aimed to investigate plasma and bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) pro-inflammatory cytokine profiles and cardiovascular physiology in a clinically relevant 6-h ovine model of BSD.

Endothelin receptor antagonist improves donor lung function in an ex vivo perfusion system.

Background: A lung transplant is the last resort treatment for many patients with advanced lung disease. The majority of donated lungs come from donors following brain death (BD). The endothelin axis is upregulated in the blood and lung of the donor after BD resulting in systemic inflammation, lung damage and poor lung graft outcomes in the recipient.

T1 Mapping in Discrimination of Hypertrophic Phenotypes: Hypertensive Heart Disease and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy: Findings From the International T1 Multicenter Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Study.

Background: The differential diagnosis of left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy remains challenging in clinical practice, in particular, between hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) and increased LV wall thickness because of systemic hypertension. Diffuse myocardial disease is a characteristic feature in HCM, and an early manifestation of sarcomere-gene mutations in subexpressed family members (G+P- subjects). This study aimed to investigate whether detecting diffuse myocardial disease by T1 mapping can discriminate between HCM versus hypertensive heart disease as well as to detect genetically driven interstitial changes in the G+P- subjects.

Native T1 in discrimination of acute and convalescent stages in patients with clinical diagnosis of myocarditis: a proposed diagnostic algorithm using CMR.

Objectives: This study investigated whether T1 mapping by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) reflects the clinical evolution of disease in myocarditis and supports its diagnosis independently of the disease stages.

Background: Acute viral myocarditis is characterized by a range of intracellular changes due to viral replication and extracellular spill of debris within days of viral infection. Convalescence may be characterized by a chronic low-grade inflammation leading to ventricular remodelling, but also a complete resolution of myocardial changes.

A brain dead donor model of porcine orthotopic cardiac transplantation for assessment of cardiac allograft preservation.

Background: We aimed to develop a large animal model of orthotopic cardiac transplantation, incorporating donor brain death, to assess new methods of preservation of the donor heart.

Methods: Brain death was achieved in the donor pig by inflation of a 20 cc subdural balloon 1 h prior to harvest. The donor heart was stored for 6 h with conventional hypothermic ischaemic preservation.

Functional evidence of reversible ischemic injury immediately after the sympathetic storm associated with experimental brain death.

Background: Acute brain death from increased intracranial pressure results in a transient increase in myocardial adenosine and lactate, which indicates that oxygen demand exceeds oxygen delivery during the sympathetic "storm". The aim of this study was to determine the functional significance of this period of ischemia.

Methods: Brain death was inflicted on 40 Westran pigs (36.

The initial rate of troponin I release post-reperfusion reflects the effectiveness of myocardial protection during cardiac allograft preservation.

Objective: To determine if the initial rate of troponin I release post-reperfusion reflects the effectiveness of myocardial protection during cardiac allograft preservation.

Methods: A porcine model of orthotopic heart transplantation was used. Data from two control groups (CON(4) and CON(14)) and two treatment groups (CAR(4) and CAR(14)) were analysed.

The preload recruitable stroke work relationship as a measure of left ventricular contractile dysfunction in porcine cardiac allografts.

Objective: Paradoxically, it has been reported that after 1.5-4 h of hypothermic ischaemic preservation there is complete recovery of contractile function in canine cardiac allografts, as assessed by the preload recruitable stroke work (PRSW) relationship. This raises questions about the suitability of the canine heart as a model for preservation research and the PRSW relationship as an end-point.