TY - JOUR
T1 - The propensity for inducing atrial fibrillation
T2 - A comparative study on old versus young rabbits
AU - Li, Hongliang
AU - Scherlag, Benjamin J.
AU - Kem, David C.
AU - Zillner, Caitlin
AU - Male, Shailesh
AU - Thirunavukkarasu, Sorkko
AU - Shen, Xiaohua
AU - Benbrook, Alexandria
AU - Pitha, Jan V.
AU - Lazzara, Ralph
AU - Yu, Xichun
PY - 2014
Y1 - 2014
N2 - It is well established that atrial fibrillation (AF) is far more common in elderly humans. Autonomic activation is thought to be an operative mechanism for AF propensity. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of age on atrial tachyarrhythmia induction in a rabbit model. Six old (aged 4-6 years) and 9 young (aged 3-4 months) New Zealand white rabbits were subjected to a catheter-based electrophysiological study. Atrial tachyarrhythmia susceptibility was tested by burst pacing before and after infusion of increasing concentrations of acetylcholine. Both young and old rabbits were in normal sinus rhythm at the beginning of the infusion/burst pacing protocol. The old rabbits had faster heart rates and a marked increase in atrial tachyarrhythmias compared to the young rabbits. Nonsustained and sustained AF events were more frequent in the old rabbits. No significant fibrosis was observed in the atria of either young or old rabbits. In conclusion, the old rabbits have a greater propensity for induction of AF. The significantly faster heart rates in the old rabbits suggest that dominant sympathetic activity may play an important role in the propensity for AF in this group.
AB - It is well established that atrial fibrillation (AF) is far more common in elderly humans. Autonomic activation is thought to be an operative mechanism for AF propensity. The aim of the study was to investigate the impact of age on atrial tachyarrhythmia induction in a rabbit model. Six old (aged 4-6 years) and 9 young (aged 3-4 months) New Zealand white rabbits were subjected to a catheter-based electrophysiological study. Atrial tachyarrhythmia susceptibility was tested by burst pacing before and after infusion of increasing concentrations of acetylcholine. Both young and old rabbits were in normal sinus rhythm at the beginning of the infusion/burst pacing protocol. The old rabbits had faster heart rates and a marked increase in atrial tachyarrhythmias compared to the young rabbits. Nonsustained and sustained AF events were more frequent in the old rabbits. No significant fibrosis was observed in the atria of either young or old rabbits. In conclusion, the old rabbits have a greater propensity for induction of AF. The significantly faster heart rates in the old rabbits suggest that dominant sympathetic activity may play an important role in the propensity for AF in this group.
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/84896982689
UR - https://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84896982689&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1155/2014/684918
DO - 10.1155/2014/684918
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84896982689
SN - 2090-2204
VL - 2014
JO - Journal of Aging Research
JF - Journal of Aging Research
IS - 1
M1 - 684918
ER -