OBJECTIVE: This in vitro investigation aimed to compare the degree of myocardial preservation afforded by intermittent anterograde normothermic vs hypothermic blood cardioplegia, infused at 20 minutes intervals, in acutely ischemic rabbit hearts. METHODS: Myocardial concentration of glycogen and lactate, as well as mitochondrial respiration and left ventricular function (dP/dtmax ) were analyzed. The study was divided into two phases, one without (Phase I) and one with (Phase II) a period of reperfusion following the last dose of cardioplegia. Each phase included 4 groups. In Phase I, hearts sent for metabolic analysis immediately after being excised comprised the Control group. After being subjected to global normothermic ischemia for 20 min, hearts were sent for biochemical analysis (Ischemic group), or else received 4 doses of cardioplegia at 37° C (Normothermic group) or at 17° C (Hypothermic group) before biochemical analysis was performed. In Phase II, except for the Ischemic group, left ventricular function was assessed on a modified Langendorff apparatus preceding metabolic analysis. RESULTS: Global normothermic ischemia (Ischemic group) resulted in reduction of glycogen levels, O2 consumption during state 3 and respiratory control rate (RCR) of mitochondrial respiration, and in elevation of lactate levels. Without reperfusion (Phase I), a significant biochemical improvement was noticed after infusion of 4 doses of hypothermic cardioplegia (Hypothermic group) except for the lactate levels that remained higher than the Control group. After normothermic cardioplegia (Normothermic group) biochemical variables showed values similar to the Control group. Reperfusion (Phase II) was followed by restoration of all biochemical variables to baseline (Control group). LV function showed similar results between Control, Normothermic and Hypothermic groups. CONCLUSIONS: The intermittent antegrade infusion of blood cardioplegia at 37° C and 17° C, infused at 20 minutes intervals, produced similar biochemical and functional results in rabbit hearts submitted to a prior period (20 minutes) of acute normothermic ischemia.
Heart arrest induced; Myocardium; Heart; Myocardial ischemia; Ventricular function, left
