title: Renal denervation decreases effective refractory period but not inducibility of ventricular fibrillation in a healthy porcine biomodel: a case control study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Ventricular arrhythmias play an important role in cardiovascular mortality especially in patients with impaired cardiac and autonomic function. The aim of this experimental study was to determine, if renal denervation (RDN) could decrease the inducibility of ventricular fibrillation (VF) in a healthy porcine biomodel.
  
  
  METHODS
  Controlled electrophysiological study was performed in 6 biomodels 40 days after RDN (RDN group) and in 6 healthy animals (control group). The inducibility of VF was tested by programmed ventricular stimulation from the apex of right ventricle (8 basal stimuli coupled with up to 4 extrastimuli) always three times in each biomodel using peripheral extracorporeal oxygenation for hemodynamic support. Further, basal heart rate (HR), PQ and QT intervals and effective refractory period of ventricles (ERP) were measured. Technical success of RDN was evaluated by histological examination.
  
  
  RESULTS
  According to histological findings, RDN procedure was successfully performed in all biomodels. Comparing the groups, basal HR was lower in RDN group: 79 (IQR 58; 88) vs. 93 (72; 95) beats per minute (p = 0.003); PQ interval was longer in RDN group: 145 (133; 153) vs. 115 (113; 120) ms (p < 0.0001) and QTc intervals were comparable: 402 (382; 422) ms in RDN vs. 386 (356; 437) ms in control group (p = 0.1). ERP was prolonged significantly in RDN group: 159 (150; 169) vs. 140 (133; 150) ms (p = 0.001), but VF inducibility was the same (18/18 vs. 18/18 attempts).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  RDN decreased the influence of sympathetic nerve system on the heart conduction system in healthy porcine biomodel. However, the electrophysiological study was not associated with a decrease of VF inducibility after RDN.
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Medicine - Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, U Nemocnice 2, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic. jean-claude.lubanda@vfn.cz.
authors.forename: Jean-Claude
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Lubanda
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 5, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic. jaroslav.kudlicka@vfn.cz.|3rd Department of Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital, U Nemocnice 2, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic. jaroslav.kudlicka@vfn.cz.
authors.forename: Jaroslav
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kudlicka
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 5, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic. mikulas.mlcek@staff.cuni.cz.
authors.forename: Mikulas
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mlcek
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Medicine - Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, U Nemocnice 2, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic. miroslav.chochola@vfn.cz.
authors.forename: Miroslav
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chochola
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Na Homolce Hospital, Roentgenova 2/37, Prague 5, 150 30, Czech Republic. pneuzil@seznam.cz.
authors.forename: Petr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Neuzil
authors.affiliation: 2nd Department of Medicine - Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague and General University Hospital in Prague, U Nemocnice 2, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic. ales.linhart@vfn.cz.
authors.forename: Ales
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linhart
authors.affiliation: Institute of Physiology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Albertov 5, Prague 2, 128 00, Czech Republic. otomar.kittnar@lf1.cuni.cz.
authors.forename: Otomar
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Kittnar
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003714:Denervation; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004562:Electrocardiography; D007668:Kidney / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012032:Refractory Period, Electrophysiological; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D034421:Sus scrofa; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*