title: Reduction of cerebral infarct size by dronedarone.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In the ATHENA trial, dronedarone reduced the incidence of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation. Since smaller cerebral infarcts are sometimes asymptomatic, the reduced incidence of stroke might reflect reduction of infarct size (IS) by dronedarone. However, no data on this effect of dronedarone are available.
  
  
  METHODS
  In 60 rats, the middle cerebral artery was occluded (MCAO) for 1 h followed by reperfusion. IS was assessed at day 7. Animals were examined using a neurological 5 points score. Twelve animals served as controls (group A), 12 animals received 30 mg/kg (group B) and 100 mg/kg (group C) dronedarone daily starting 3 days before MCAO; 12 animals received 30 mg/kg (group D) starting 2 h after MCAO. In all groups treatment was maintained until day 7. In 12 additional animals (6 controls, 6 pretreated animals) fractional anisotropy (FA) was assessed using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
  
  
  RESULTS
  IS in group A was 151 ± 45 mm(3) versus 94 ± 42 mm(3) in group B, 79 ± 29 mm(3) in group C, and 127 ± 51 mm(3) in group D, respectively (B,C,D P < 0.05 vs. A). Neuroscores and weight loss (expressed as percent of initial weight) were less in treatment groups: 1.8 ± 0.6 and 91% in group B, 1.4 ± 0.5 and 93% in group C, and 2.1 ± 0.6 and 89% in group D compared to 2.4 ± 0.5 and 83% in controls (B,C,D P < 0.05 vs. A). FA in the ischemic penumbra was significantly higher in treated than in control animals (0.44 ± 0.2 vs. 0.35 ± 0.17; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Dronedarone administered before and after MCAO reduces IS and improves FA and neurological outcome in transient cerebral ischemia.
authors: Department of Neuroradiology, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany. tobias.engelhorn@uk-erlangen.de
authors: Tobias
authors: T
authors: Engelhorn
authors: Marc A
authors: MA
authors: Schwarz
authors: Gerd
authors: G
authors: Heusch
authors: Arnd
authors: A
authors: Doerfler
authors: Rainer
authors: R
authors: Schulz
mesh_terms: D000638:Amiodarone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D000077764:Dronedarone; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D020244:Infarction, Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D017078:Laser-Doppler Flowmetry; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents; D000077764:Dronedarone; D000638:Amiodarone