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Longitudinal study of electrical, functional and structural remodelling in an equine model of atrial fibrillation

Hesselkilde, Eva Zander ; Carstensen, Helena ; Flethøj, Mette ; Fenner, Merle ; Kruse, Ditte Dybvald ; Sattler, Stefan M. ; Tfelt-Hansen, Jacob ; Pehrson, Steen LU ; Braunstein, Thomas Hartig and Carlson, Jonas LU orcid , et al. (2019) In BMC Cardiovascular Disorders 19(1).
Abstract

Background: Large animal models are important in atrial fibrillation (AF) research, as they can be used to study the pathophysiology of AF and new therapeutic approaches. Unlike other animal models, horses spontaneously develop AF and could therefore serve as a bona fide model in AF research. We therefore aimed to study the electrical, functional and structural remodelling caused by chronic AF in a horse model. Method: Nine female horses were included in the study, with six horses tachypaced into self-sustained AF and three that served as a time-matched sham-operated control group. Acceleration in atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR), changes in electrocardiographic and echocardiographic variables and response to medical treatment (flecainide... (More)

Background: Large animal models are important in atrial fibrillation (AF) research, as they can be used to study the pathophysiology of AF and new therapeutic approaches. Unlike other animal models, horses spontaneously develop AF and could therefore serve as a bona fide model in AF research. We therefore aimed to study the electrical, functional and structural remodelling caused by chronic AF in a horse model. Method: Nine female horses were included in the study, with six horses tachypaced into self-sustained AF and three that served as a time-matched sham-operated control group. Acceleration in atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR), changes in electrocardiographic and echocardiographic variables and response to medical treatment (flecainide 2 mg/kg) were recorded over a period of 2 months. At the end of the study, changes in ion channel expression and fibrosis were measured and compared between the two groups. Results: AFR increased from 299 ± 33 fibrillations per minute (fpm) to 376 ± 12 fpm (p < 0.05) and atrial function (active left atrial fractional area change) decreased significantly during the study (p < 0.05). No changes were observed in heart rate or ventricular function. The AF group had more atrial fibrosis compared to the control group (p < 0.05). No differences in ion channel expression were observed. Conclusion: Horses with induced AF show signs of atrial remodelling that are similar to humans and other animal models.

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organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Animal model, Atrial fibrillation, Atrial fibrillatory rate, Chronic atrial fibrillation, Equine, Flecainide, Horse
in
BMC Cardiovascular Disorders
volume
19
issue
1
article number
228
publisher
BioMed Central (BMC)
external identifiers
  • scopus:85073747828
  • pmid:31638896
ISSN
1471-2261
DOI
10.1186/s12872-019-1210-4
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
580af409-dbe0-464d-a28f-699fed2c6c74
date added to LUP
2019-11-04 12:10:48
date last changed
2024-02-16 01:48:23
@article{580af409-dbe0-464d-a28f-699fed2c6c74,
  abstract     = {{<p>Background: Large animal models are important in atrial fibrillation (AF) research, as they can be used to study the pathophysiology of AF and new therapeutic approaches. Unlike other animal models, horses spontaneously develop AF and could therefore serve as a bona fide model in AF research. We therefore aimed to study the electrical, functional and structural remodelling caused by chronic AF in a horse model. Method: Nine female horses were included in the study, with six horses tachypaced into self-sustained AF and three that served as a time-matched sham-operated control group. Acceleration in atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR), changes in electrocardiographic and echocardiographic variables and response to medical treatment (flecainide 2 mg/kg) were recorded over a period of 2 months. At the end of the study, changes in ion channel expression and fibrosis were measured and compared between the two groups. Results: AFR increased from 299 ± 33 fibrillations per minute (fpm) to 376 ± 12 fpm (p &lt; 0.05) and atrial function (active left atrial fractional area change) decreased significantly during the study (p &lt; 0.05). No changes were observed in heart rate or ventricular function. The AF group had more atrial fibrosis compared to the control group (p &lt; 0.05). No differences in ion channel expression were observed. Conclusion: Horses with induced AF show signs of atrial remodelling that are similar to humans and other animal models.</p>}},
  author       = {{Hesselkilde, Eva Zander and Carstensen, Helena and Flethøj, Mette and Fenner, Merle and Kruse, Ditte Dybvald and Sattler, Stefan M. and Tfelt-Hansen, Jacob and Pehrson, Steen and Braunstein, Thomas Hartig and Carlson, Jonas and Platonov, Pyotr G. and Jespersen, Thomas and Buhl, Rikke}},
  issn         = {{1471-2261}},
  keywords     = {{Animal model; Atrial fibrillation; Atrial fibrillatory rate; Chronic atrial fibrillation; Equine; Flecainide; Horse}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  month        = {{10}},
  number       = {{1}},
  publisher    = {{BioMed Central (BMC)}},
  series       = {{BMC Cardiovascular Disorders}},
  title        = {{Longitudinal study of electrical, functional and structural remodelling in an equine model of atrial fibrillation}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12872-019-1210-4}},
  doi          = {{10.1186/s12872-019-1210-4}},
  volume       = {{19}},
  year         = {{2019}},
}