title: Effects of low-level autonomic stimulation on prevention of atrial fibrillation induced by acute electrical remodeling.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Rapid atrial pacing (RAP) can induce electrical and autonomic remodeling and facilitate atrial fibrillation (AF). Recent reports showed that low-level vagosympathetic nerve stimulation (LLVNS) can suppress AF, as an antiarrhythmic effect. We hypothesized that LLVNS can reverse substrate heterogeneity induced by RAP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mongrel dogs were divided into (LLVNS+RAP) and RAP groups. Electrode catheters were sutured to multiple atrial sites, and LLVNS was applied to cervical vagosympathetic trunks with voltage 50% below the threshold slowing sinus rate by ≤ 30 msec. RAP induced a significant decrease in effective refractory period (ERP) and increase in the window of vulnerability at all sites, characterized by descending and elevated gradient differences towards the ganglionic plexi (GP) sites, respectively. The ERP dispersion was obviously enlarged by RAP and more significant when the ERP of GP-related sites was considered. Recovery time from AF was also prolonged significantly as a result of RAP. LLVNS could reverse all these changes induced by RAP and recover the heterogeneous substrate to baseline. Conclusions. LLVNS can reverse the electrical and autonomic remodeling and abolish the GP-central gradient differences induced by RAP, and thus it can recover the homogeneous substrate, which may be the underlying mechanism of its antiarrhythmic effect.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Guangzhou 510630, China.
authors.forename: Yubi
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Ning
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Bian
authors.forename: Hairui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jia
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Huijie
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xing
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Dandan
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xianwu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Lan
authors.forename: Bojun
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gong
authors.forename: Li
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Ruijie
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Guan
authors.forename: Dongdong
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Du
authors.forename: Zhengyi
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Xiaoming
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Tao
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Jianyi
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Shaorong
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Liwei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Aidong
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Zicheng
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Li
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004285:Dogs; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate; D016896:Treatment Outcome