title: Effects of low-intensity atrial ganglionated plexi stimulation on ventricular electrophysiology and arrhythmogenesis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Atrial ganglionated plexi (GP) have been shown to modulate sinus rate, atrioventricular conduction and atrial electrophysiology. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of low-intensity GP stimulation (GPS) on ventricular electrophysiological properties in normal heart and on ventricular arrhythmogenesis after acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) in canine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Thirty-nine dogs were assigned into the normal heart group (n=12) and the acute myocardial ischemia (AMI) group (n=27, 12 in control and 15 in low-intensity GPS). In the normal heart group, ventricular effective refractory period (ERP), dynamic restitution and electrical alternans were measured at baseline and after 6-hour low-intensity GPS. In the AMI group, the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias was determined during 1-hour recording after AMI was induced. In the normal heart, 6-hour low-intensity GPS significantly prolonged ventricular ERP and action potential duration (APD) at each site (all P<0.05) but did not change their spatial dispersions when compared with baseline. Low-intensity GPS also caused an upward shift of ventricular restitution curves in each site but did not change the slope of restitution curves. APD alternans after low-intensity GPS occurred at longer pacing cycle length at each site when compared with baseline (all P<0.05). In the AMI heart, the incidence of ventricular arrhythmias in low-intensity GPS group was significantly lower than that in control group (P<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Low-intensity GPS induces no increase in the risk of ventricular arrhythmias in the normal heart as well as protects against ventricular arrhythmogenesis during AMI.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University and Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, PR China.
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: He
authors: Zhibing
authors: Z
authors: Lu
authors: Wenbo
authors: W
authors: He
authors: Liu
authors: L
authors: Wu
authors: Bing
authors: B
authors: Huang
authors: Lilei
authors: L
authors: Yu
authors: Bo
authors: B
authors: Cui
authors: Xiaorong
authors: X
authors: Hu
authors: Hong
authors: H
authors: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000200:Action Potentials; D000818:Animals; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002305:Cardiac Tamponade / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D004285:Dogs; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods; D055724:Electrophysiological Phenomena; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000378:metabolism*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000294:innervation / Q000378:metabolism; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000294:innervation* / Q000378:metabolism; D017202:Myocardial Ischemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012032:Refractory Period, Electrophysiological; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D013900:Thoracic Nerves / Q000378:metabolism*