title: Subcutaneous nerve activity and spontaneous ventricular arrhythmias in ambulatory dogs.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Stellate ganglion nerve activity (SGNA) is important in ventricular arrhythmogenesis. However, because thoracotomy is needed to access the stellate ganglion, it is difficult to use SGNA for risk stratification.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that subcutaneous nerve activity (SCNA) in canines can be used to estimate SGNA and predict ventricular arrhythmia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We implanted radiotransmitters to continuously monitor left stellate ganglion and subcutaneous electrical activities in 7 ambulatory dogs with myocardial infarction, complete heart block, and nerve growth factor infusion to the left stellate ganglion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Spontaneous ventricular tachycardia (VT) or ventricular fibrillation (VF) was documented in each dog. SCNA preceded a combined 61 episodes of VT and VF, 61 frequent bigeminy or couplets, and 61 premature ventricular contractions within 15 seconds in 70%, 59%, and 61% of arrhythmias, respectively. Similar incidence of 75%, 69%, and 62% was noted for SGNA. Progressive increase in SCNA [48.9 (95% confidence interval [CI] 39.3-58.5) vs 61.8 (95% CI 45.9-77.6) vs 75.1 (95% CI 57.5-92.7) mV-s] and SGNA [48.6 (95% CI 40.9-56.3) vs 58.5 (95% CI 47.5-69.4) vs 69.0 (95% CI 53.8-84.2) mV-s] integrated over 20-second intervals was demonstrated 60 seconds, 40 seconds, and 20 seconds before VT/VF (P <.05), respectively. The Pearson correlation coefficient for integrated SCNA and SGNA was 0.73 ± 0.18 (P <.0001 for all dogs, n = 5). Both SCNA and SGNA exhibited circadian variation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SCNA can be used as an estimate of SGNA to predict susceptibility to VT and VF in a canine model of ventricular arrhythmia and sudden cardiac death.
authors.affiliation: Krannert Institute of Cardiology and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Anisiia
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Doytchinova
authors.affiliation: Krannert Institute of Cardiology and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Jheel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California.
authors.forename: Shengmei
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Lan S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Hongbo
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Department of Biostatistics, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana; Fairbanks School of Public Health, Indiana University, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Changyu
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Shen
authors.affiliation: Krannert Institute of Cardiology and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Thomas H
authors.initials: TH
authors.lastname: Everett
authors.affiliation: Krannert Institute of Cardiology and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
authors.forename: Shien-Fong
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.affiliation: Krannert Institute of Cardiology and Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana. Electronic address: chenpp@iu.edu.
authors.forename: Peng-Sheng
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology; D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D006327:Heart Block / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D015994:Incidence; D008124:Locomotion; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D020932:Nerve Growth Factor / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013686:Telemetry / Q000295:instrumentation; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D054141:Ventricular Flutter / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018879:Ventricular Premature Complexes / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D020932:Nerve Growth Factor
keywords: Atrioventricular block; Autonomic nervous system; Myocardial infarction; Sudden cardiac death; Ventricular arrhythmia