title: Low-level carotid baroreflex stimulation suppresses atrial fibrillation by inhibiting left stellate ganglion activity in an acute canine model.
abstract: Low-level carotid baroreflex stimulation (LL-CBS) appears to have a potential antiarrhythmogenic effect.
  
  
  
  The purpose of this study was to investigate effects of short-term LL-CBS on an atrial fibrillation (AF) canine model.
  
  
  
  Group 1 (LL-CBS in the 6 hour-rapid atrial pacing model): Anesthetized dogs underwent 6 hours of rapid atrial pacing (RAP) with concomitant LL-CBS in last 3 hours (LL-CBS group; n = 7) or without (control group; n = 6). Effective refractory period (ERP), ERP dispersion, and window of vulnerability to AF were determined. Left stellate ganglion (LSG) neural activity and heart rate variability were analyzed. Group 2 (LL-CBS on electrically or mechanically induced AF with acetylcholine): In subgroup 1, sustained AF was induced by injecting acetylcholine (Ach; 10 mM) into the anterior right ganglionated plexus at baseline and after 3-hour LL-CBS (n = 7) or sham operation (n = 6). In subgroup 2, Ach was applied onto the right atrial appendage. The time of duration of AF and the average AF cycle length were determined in both subgroups.
  
  
  
  Group 1: LL-CBS reversed the RAP-induced ERP shortening and increase in ERP dispersion and window of vulnerability (P < .05). The activation of LSG, decrease in high frequency, and increase in low frequency and low frequency/high frequency ratio induced by RAP were also reversed by LL-CBS (P < .05). After 6-hour RAP, plasma norepinephrine and angiotensin II concentrations were significantly lower in the LL-CBS group than in the control group (P < .05). Group 2: The AF duration was shortened and the average AF cycle length was prolonged markedly in both subgroups (P < .01) by LL-CBS.
  
  
  
  LL-CBS can reverse RAP-induced atrial electrical remodeling and suppress electrically or mechanically induced AF with Ach, and the anti-AF effect is attributed to attenuation of autonomic nerve remodeling, including inhibition of the LSG activity.
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors: Mingyan
authors: M
authors: Dai
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors: Mingwei
authors: M
authors: Bao
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yijie
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors: Lilei
authors: L
authors: Yu
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors: Quan
authors: Q
authors: Cao
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors: Yanhong
authors: Y
authors: Tang
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors: He
authors: H
authors: Huang
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China.
authors: Xi
authors: X
authors: Wang
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Masonic Medical Research Laboratory, Utica, New York.
authors: Dan
authors: D
authors: Hu
authors: Department of Cardiology, Renmin Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Cardiovascular Research Institute, Wuhan University, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China; Hubei Key Laboratory of Cardiology, Wuhan 430060, People's Republic of China. Electronic address: huangcongxin@vip.163.com.
authors: Congxin
authors: C
authors: Huang
mesh_terms: D000804:Angiotensin II / Q000032:analysis; D000818:Animals; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D064752:Atrial Remodeling / Q000502:physiology; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology*; D002304:Cardiac Pacing, Artificial / Q000379:methods*; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004285:Dogs; D004558:Electric Stimulation / Q000379:methods*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008955:Models, Cardiovascular; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000032:analysis; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000503:physiopathology
chemical_list: D000804:Angiotensin II; D009638:Norepinephrine
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Autonomic nervous system; Autonomic remodeling; Left stellate ganglion; Low-level carotid baroreflex stimulation