Remote ischaemic pre-conditioning does not attenuate ischaemic left ventricular dysfunction in humans
1 Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Addenbrooke's Hospital, ACCI, Level 6, Box 110, Hills Road, Cambridge CB23 3RE, UK
2 Department of Cardiology, Papworth Hospital, Papworth Everard, Cambridge CB3 8RE, UK
3 Department of Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK
* Corresponding author. Tel: +44 1223 331504, Fax: +44 1223 331505, Email: dpd24{at}cam.ac.uk
| Abstract |
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Aims: Remote ischaemic pre-conditioning (RIPC) reduces distant tissue ischaemia reperfusion injury. We tested the hypothesis that RIPC would protect the left ventricle (LV) from ischaemic dysfunction and stunning.
Methods and results: Forty-two patients with single vessel coronary disease and normal LV function were prospectively recruited. Twenty patients had repeated conductance catheter assessment of LV function during serial coronary occlusions with/without RIPC and a further 22 patients underwent serial dobutamine stress echocardiography and tissue Doppler analysis with/without RIPC. Remote ischaemic pre-conditioning was induced by three 5 min inflations of a blood pressure cuff around the upper arm. RIPC did not diminish the degree of ischaemic LV dysfunction during coronary balloon occlusion (Tau, ms: 59.2 (2.8) vs. 62.8 (2.8), P = 0.15) and there was evidence of cumulative LV dysfunction despite RIPC [ejection fraction (EF), %: 54.3 (5.8) vs. 44.9 (3.7), P = 0.03]. Remote ischaemic pre-conditioning did not improve contractile recovery during reperfusion (EF, %: 51.7 (3.6) vs. 51.5 (5.7), P = 0.88 and Tau, ms: 55.6 (2.8) vs. 56.0 (2.0), P = 0.85). A neutral effect of RIPC on LV function was confirmed by tissue Doppler analysis of ischaemic segments at peak dobutamine (Vs, cm s–1 control: 8.2 (0.4) vs. RIPC 8.1 (0.4), P = 0.43) and in recovery.
Conclusion: RIPC does not attenuate ischaemic LV dysfunction in humans.
Key Words: Coronary disease Stunning Ischaemic LV dysfunction Remote ischaemic pre-conditioning
Received October 9, 2008; Revised January 25, 2009; Accepted February 6, 2009