Isoprenaline increases Excursive Restitution Slope in the Conscious Rabbit with Ischaemic Heart Failure

TL;DR

This study shows that isoprenaline, a beta-adrenergic stimulant, increases the steepness of the QT restitution slope in rabbits with ischemic heart failure, potentially explaining their higher arrhythmia risk.

Contribution

It is the first to demonstrate that beta-adrenergic stimulation causes steeper QT restitution slopes specifically in ischemic heart failure models.

Findings

Ischaemic rabbits had steeper QT restitution slopes during isoprenaline infusion.

Beta-adrenergic stimulation increased the negative and positive slopes in heart failure rabbits.

Steeper restitution slopes may contribute to arrhythmia susceptibility in failing hearts.

Abstract

Background: An increased QT/RR slope is hypothesized to be predictive of sudden cardiac death after myocardial infarction. Previous studies have shown that beta-adrenergic stimulation increases QT/RR slope, but the effects of beta-adrenergic stimulation on QT/RR slope in heart failure are unknown. Methods: New Zealand White rabbits underwent coronary ligation (n=15) or sham surgery (n=11), and implantation of a pediatric pacemaker lead in the right ventricle for chronic ECG recording. Eight weeks after surgery, unsedated rabbits were given intravenous administrations of 0.25 to 2.0 ml of 1 micromol/l isoprenaline, while peak QRS to QRS (RR) and Q to T peak (QT) intervals were measured. Results: Ligated rabbits (n=6) had lower LVEF than sham rabbits (n=7, p<.0001), but similar baseline RR (269 +/- 15 vs 292 +/- 23 ms, p=.07), QT (104 +/- 17 vs 91 +/- 9 ms, p=.1) and minimum RR (204 +/- 11 vs 208 +/- 6 ms, p=.4) intervals induced by isoprenaline (0.79 +/- 0.18 vs 0.73 +/- 0.14 ml, p=.6). Hysteresis in QT vs TQ interval plots displayed biphasic restitution and regions of negative slope. The slope of the positive slope region was >1 in ligated rabbits (1.27 +/- 0.66) and <1 in sham rabbits (0.35 +/- 0.14, p=.004). Absolute value of the negative slope was greater in ligated rabbits (-0.81 +/- 0.52 vs -0.35 +/- 0.14, p=.04). Conclusion: Ischaemic heart failure produces steeper restitution slopes during beta-adrenergically induced QT/TQ hysteresis. This could underlie the propensity of failing hearts to arrhythmias.