Nitric oxide synthase inhibitors decrease coronary sinus-free radical concentration and ameliorate myocardial stunning in an ischemia-reperfusion model

OBJECTIVES

Our objective was to determine the effect of a nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) on free radical generation and myocardial contractility after ischemia-reperfusion.

BACKGROUND

Cardiotoxic free radicals are generated by ischemia-reperfusion sequences. Nitric oxide reacts with superoxide radical to form peroxynitrite, which generates additional free radicals. Our hypothesis was that by inhibiting NO production, free radical formation will be diminished, which should be cardioprotective.

METHODS

We studied 32 dogs. Coronary occlusion-reperfusion (20 min each) sequences were created by intracoronary balloon angioplasty inflation-deflation. Using electron paramagnetic resonance, we monitored the coronary sinus concentration of ascorbate free radical (Asc*-), a measure of total oxidative flux. The L-NNA (4.8 mg/kg total) was infused intravenously during occlusion-reperfusion; control dogs received saline. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated the peroxynitration product nitrotyrosine.

RESULTS

In the control dogs Asc*- rose from 3.2 +/- SD 0.5 nmol/l to 4.8 +/- 1.1 nmol/l with reperfusion, a 50% rise. With L-NNA the Asc*- rose from 3.2 +/- 0.9 nmol/l to 4.0 +/- 1.2 nmol/l, a 25% rise (p < 0.01, L-NNA vs. control). Echocardiographic left ventricular fractional area shortening (FAS) in the control dogs declined from 38 +/- 19% (baseline) to 26 +/- 14% (ischemia), and to 22 +/- 11% with reperfusion (p < 0.01 vs. baseline). With L-NNA, FAS declined from 36 +/- 13% (baseline) to 27 +/- 12% (ischemia) but then rose to 33 +/- 14 with reperfusion (p = NS vs. baseline). Nitrotyrosine was present in the myocardium subjected to ischemia-reperfusion, but almost absent in dogs receiving L-NNA. Myocardial perfusion was not altered by L-NNA.

CONCLUSIONS

The NO synthase inhibitors decrease coronary sinus free radical concentration and ameliorate myocardial stunning after ischemia-reperfusion.

Coronary risk area measurement by intracardiac echocardiography and ultrasound contrast

The perfusion bed of an occluded coronary artery-the coronary risk area-determines infarct size. Our objective was to evaluate the combined techniques of intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) and ultrasound contrast echocardiography for real-time estimation of the coronary risk area in an experimental model. We studied 13 pigs and 2 dogs. The left anterior descending coronary was occluded by inflating coronary balloons. An ultrasound contrast agent was injected either through the dilation catheter (distal to the inflated balloon) directly into the occluded artery to opacify the "positive" risk area or into the aortic root during coronary balloon inflation to determine the nonopacified "negative" risk area. Evans blue dye was injected into the occluded artery to stain the risk area, allowing an independent measurement. The mean left anterior descending negative risk area was 26% +/- 10% of the left ventricular myocardial area, the mean positive risk area was 24% +/- 10%, and the Evans blue-stained risk area was 25% +/- 9%. By Bland-Altman analysis, the positive Optison-Evans blue mean +/- SD difference was 1.42% +/- 6.42%; the negative Optison-Evans blue mean +/- SD difference was 1.02% +/- 7.56%. Coronary risk area can be determined with intracardiac echocardiography and ultrasound contrast.

Effect of shaving the chest of hirsute subjects on transthoracic impedance to self-adhesive defibrillation electrode pads

We determined transthoracic impedance (TTI) before and after shaving in 9 hirsute and 11 nonhirsute subjects. TTI in hirsute subjects was mean +/- SE 162 +/- 11 versus 103 +/- 6 ohms in nonhirsute subjects (p <0.01); TTI decreased to 105 +/- 3 ohms after shaving the hirsute chests (p <0.01).