TY - JOUR
T1 - Carotid chemoreceptor ablation improves survival in heart failure
T2 - Rescuing autonomic control of cardiorespiratory function
AU - Del Rio, Rodrigo
AU - Marcus, Noah J.
AU - Schultz, Harold D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supported by a Program Project Grant from the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health ( PO1-HL62222 ). The authors have no conflict of interest to disclosure with regard to funding or compensation from industry for this study. However, all authors collectively provided consultancy to Coridea NCI (now Cibiem, Inc.) with regard to their interests in the efficacy of this procedure in animal models of chronic heart failure.
PY - 2013/12/24
Y1 - 2013/12/24
N2 - Objectives This study sought to investigate whether selective ablation of the carotid body (CB) chemoreceptors improves cardiorespiratory control and survival during heart failure. Background Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a recognized health problem worldwide, and novel treatments are needed to better improve life quality and decrease mortality. Enhanced carotid chemoreflex drive from the CB is thought to contribute significantly to autonomic dysfunction, abnormal breathing patterns, and increased mortality in heart failure. Methods Chronic heart failure was induced by coronary ligation in rats. Selective CB denervation was performed to remove carotid chemoreflex drive in the CHF state (16 weeks post-myocardial infarction). Indexes of autonomic and respiratory function were assessed in CB intact and CB denervated animals. CB denervation at 2 weeks post-myocardial infarction was performed to evaluate whether early targeted CB ablation decreases the progression of left ventricular dysfunction, cardiac remodeling, and arrhythmic episodes and improves survival. Results The CHF rats developed increased CB chemoreflex drive and chronic central pre-sympathetic neuronal activation, increased indexes of elevated sympathetic outflow, increased breathing variability and apnea incidence, and desensitization of the baroreflex. Selective CB ablation reduced the central pre-sympathetic neuronal activation by 40%, normalized indexes of sympathetic outflow and baroreflex sensitivity, and reduced the incidence of apneas in CHF animals from 16.8 ± 1.8 events/h to 8.0 ± 1.4 events/h. Remarkably, when CB ablation was performed early, cardiac remodeling, deterioration of left ventricle ejection fraction, and cardiac arrhythmias were reduced. Most importantly, the rats that underwent early CB ablation exhibited an 85% survival rate compared with 45% survival in CHF rats without the intervention. Conclusions Carotid chemoreceptors play a seminal role in the pathogenesis of heart failure, and their targeted ablation might be of therapeutic value to reduce cardiorespiratory dysfunction and improve survival during CHF.
AB - Objectives This study sought to investigate whether selective ablation of the carotid body (CB) chemoreceptors improves cardiorespiratory control and survival during heart failure. Background Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a recognized health problem worldwide, and novel treatments are needed to better improve life quality and decrease mortality. Enhanced carotid chemoreflex drive from the CB is thought to contribute significantly to autonomic dysfunction, abnormal breathing patterns, and increased mortality in heart failure. Methods Chronic heart failure was induced by coronary ligation in rats. Selective CB denervation was performed to remove carotid chemoreflex drive in the CHF state (16 weeks post-myocardial infarction). Indexes of autonomic and respiratory function were assessed in CB intact and CB denervated animals. CB denervation at 2 weeks post-myocardial infarction was performed to evaluate whether early targeted CB ablation decreases the progression of left ventricular dysfunction, cardiac remodeling, and arrhythmic episodes and improves survival. Results The CHF rats developed increased CB chemoreflex drive and chronic central pre-sympathetic neuronal activation, increased indexes of elevated sympathetic outflow, increased breathing variability and apnea incidence, and desensitization of the baroreflex. Selective CB ablation reduced the central pre-sympathetic neuronal activation by 40%, normalized indexes of sympathetic outflow and baroreflex sensitivity, and reduced the incidence of apneas in CHF animals from 16.8 ± 1.8 events/h to 8.0 ± 1.4 events/h. Remarkably, when CB ablation was performed early, cardiac remodeling, deterioration of left ventricle ejection fraction, and cardiac arrhythmias were reduced. Most importantly, the rats that underwent early CB ablation exhibited an 85% survival rate compared with 45% survival in CHF rats without the intervention. Conclusions Carotid chemoreceptors play a seminal role in the pathogenesis of heart failure, and their targeted ablation might be of therapeutic value to reduce cardiorespiratory dysfunction and improve survival during CHF.
KW - autonomic function
KW - breathing disorders
KW - carotid body denervation
KW - heart failure
KW - mortality
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U2 - 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.07.079
DO - 10.1016/j.jacc.2013.07.079
M3 - Article
C2 - 24013056
AN - SCOPUS:84880917029
VL - 62
SP - 2422
EP - 2430
JO - Journal of the American College of Cardiology
JF - Journal of the American College of Cardiology
SN - 0735-1097
IS - 25
ER -