The potential cardioprotective effects of amifostine in irradiated rats.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study is to determine the cardioprotective efficacy of amifostine. The study consists of researching the relationship between plasma brain natriuretic peptide levels and the electrical and morphologic changes in irradiated rats with or without amifostine.


METHODS
Sixty Wistar albino rats were divided into 4 groups, and their hearts were given 15 Gy/fraction with (60)Co. In Groups I and II, the rats were killed after 24 hours to detect early effects; in Groups III and IV, the rats were killed 100 days after irradiation to detect late effects. Before irradiation, Groups I and III received 0.9% saline solution, whereas Groups II and IV received amifostine (200 mg/kg). Twenty rats were used as a control group.


RESULTS
On the 100th day, mild myocardial degeneration was detected in 5 rats (33%) from Group III (no amifostine). This percentage was statistically different from that of Group IV (treated with amifostine) and the controls (p = 0.042). There was no statistically significant difference between the mean plasma brain natriuretic peptide values of the groups (p > 0.05). There was no significant difference in electrocardiographies between the groups. There was no correlation between continuous variables.


CONCLUSIONS
In the amifostine group (IV) on the 100th day, there was no myocardial degeneration, suggesting that amifostine has a cardioprotective effect.
Department of Radiation Oncology, Trakya University, Edirne, Turkey. fusun_t@yahoo.com
Fusun
F
Tokatli
Cem
C
Uzal
Latife
L
Doganay
Zafer
Z
Kocak
Meryem
M
Kaya
Mevlut
M
Ture
Turhan
T
Kurum
Fadime
F
Alkaya
Hakan
H
Karadag
Kemal
K
Kutlu
D004999:Amifostine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D009202:Cardiomyopathies / Q000097:blood / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes / Q000009:adverse effects; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D004562:Electrocardiography; D006321:Heart / Q000187:drug effects / Q000528:radiation effects; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011833:Radiation Injuries, Experimental / Q000473:pathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar
D015415:Biomarkers; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D011837:Radiation-Protective Agents; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D004999:Amifostine