title: Comparison of acute effects of anthracyclines on cardiac electrophysiological parameters of isolated guinea-pig hearts.
abstract: This study was performed to evaluate the acute effects of two anthracycline derivatives, doxorubicin and 4'O-tetrahydropyranyl-doxorubicin [(THP)-doxorubicin], on the conduction intervals, heart rate and refractoriness of isolated spontaneously beating guinea-pig hearts using a high-resolution ECG recording technique (SST-ECG). Doxorubicin as well as (THP)-doxorubicin were added to the perfusate in increasing concentrations of 0.1, 1 and 10 microM. Doxorubicin did not significantly alter the heart rate or conduction intervals. Only the rate-dependent QT interval was significantly shortened under the influence of 10 microM doxorubicin. In contrast, 10 microM (THP)-doxorubicin led to a significant reduction in the heart rate (-13% +/- 3%; P less than 0.01, n = 7) and to a prolongation of atrioventricular conduction time (24% +/- 10%; P less than 0.05, n = 7). The rate-dependent repolarization period (QT interval) was only insignificantly shortened in the presence of 10 microM (THP)-doxorubicin. The maximal following frequencies of each part of the conduction system were not changed by 10 microM doxorubicin. In the presence of (THP)-doxorubicin, the maximal following frequency of the ventricular myocardium was increased by as much as 36% +/- 8% (P less than 0.01, n = 7), indicating a shortening of the effective refractory period of the ventricular myocardium (V-ERP). These results show that the activation of (THP)-doxorubicin resembles the effects of Ca-antagonistic compounds on the heart (i.e. decrease in the spontaneous sinus rate and prolongation of the AV-nodal conduction interval). Changes in the QT interval exerted by doxorubicin and the shortening of the ventricular effective refractory period by (THP)-doxorubicin may indicate an alteration of the K(+)-conductance of the membrane. As the acute electrophysiological effects of doxorubicin and (THP)-doxorubicin are modest and occur only at excessive concentrations (10 microM), a direct influence on the generation of arrhythmias in healthy hearts is unlikely.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Karl Franzens University, Graz, Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Stark
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Samonigg
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kasparek
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lueger
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Nagl
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bertuch
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pilger
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Tritthart
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic / Q000494:pharmacology*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004317:Doxorubicin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D004594:Electrophysiology; D005260:Female; D006168:Guinea Pigs; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D000903:Antibiotics, Antineoplastic; D004317:Doxorubicin; C027260:pirarubicin