title: Spinal cord stimulation protects against ventricular arrhythmias by suppressing left stellate ganglion neural activity in an acute myocardial infarction canine model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have shown that spinal cord stimulation (SCS) may reduce ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) induced by acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Furthermore, activation of left stellate ganglion (LSG) appears to facilitate VAs after AMI.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate whether pretreatment with SCS could protect against VAs by reducing LSG neural activity in an AMI canine model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty dogs were anesthetized and randomly divided into SCS group (with SCS, n = 15) and sham group (sham operation without SCS, n = 15). SCS was performed for 1 hour before AMI. Heart rate variability (HRV), ventricular effective refractory period (ERP), serum norepinephrine level, LSG function measured by blood pressure increases in response to LSG stimulation, and LSG neural activity were measured for 1 minute at baseline and 1 hour after SCS. AMI was induced by left anterior descending coronary artery ligation, and then HRV, LSG neural activity, and VAs were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to baseline, SCS for 1 hour significantly prolonged ventricular ERP, increased HRV, and attenuated LSG function and LSG activity in the SCS group, whereas no significant change was shown in the sham group. AMI resulted in a significant decrease in HRV and increase in LSG neural activity in the sham group, which were attenuated in the SCS group (frequency: 99 ± 34 impulses/min vs 62 ± 22 impulses/min; amplitude: 0.41 ± 0.12 mV vs 0.18 ± 0.05 mV; both P <.05). The incidence of VAs was significantly lower in the SCS group than in the sham group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  SCS may prevent AMI-induced VAs, possibly by suppressing LSG activity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Songyun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Xiaoya
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Bing
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Zhuo
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Kai
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Liao
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Gaowa
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Saren
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Zhibing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Second Xiangya Hospital of Central South University, Hunan, China.
authors.forename: Mingxian
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China.
authors.forename: Lilei
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Cardiovascular Research Institute of Wuhan University, Wuhan, China,. Electronic address: whujianghong@163.com.
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Jiang
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D022062:Electrophysiologic Techniques, Cardiac / Q000379:methods; D006339:Heart Rate; D006352:Heart Ventricles / Q000503:physiopathology; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D009431:Neural Conduction; D062187:Spinal Cord Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014693:Ventricular Fibrillation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control
keywords: Left stellate ganglion; Spinal cord stimulation; Ventricular arrhythmia