Experimental model for heart failure in rats--induction and diagnosis.
BACKGROUND
Clinical heart failure is generally preceded by hypertrophy. Many animal models (e. g. toxic heart failure models) do not consider this hypertrophy. We set out to develop a heart failure model in rats by inducing pressure-overload hypertrophy.


METHODS
We induced coarctation of the aortic arch with a tantalum clip (0.35 mm internal diameter) In 3-week-old rats (n=17). Starting at seven weeks postoperatively, we measured ejection fraction (EF), fractional shortening (FS), end-systolic (LVESD) and end-diastolic (LVEDD) left ventricular dimensions by echocardiography each week. Heart, lung, and liver specimens were analyzed histopathologically at least eleven weeks after the operation.


RESULTS
Contractile function was significantly decreased in hearts from animals with aortic banding (EF: 45+/-5% vs. 73+/-5%, p<0.01; FS: 20+/-3% vs. 35+/-5%, p<0.01). At the same time, left ventricles were dilated (LVEDD: 9.1+/-0.6 mm vs. 7.4+/-0.5 mm; LVESD: 7.3+/-0.6 mm vs. 4.8+/-0.4 mm, p<0.01). These observations were associated with clinical and histopathological changes characteristic for chronic left heart failure.


CONCLUSIONS
Placing a tantalum clip around the aortic arch in 3-week-old rats consistently induces left ventricular decrease in contractile function and dilatation after eleven weeks.
D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004452:Echocardiography; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D017379:Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008168:Lung / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D009206:Myocardium / Q000473:pathology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley