Acute brain death abolishes the cardioprotective effects of ischemic preconditioning in the rabbit

Background Myocardial preconditioning with brief coronary artery occlusions before a sustained ischemic period is reported to reduce infarct size. We wished to evaluate whether ischemic preconditioning (IP) is efficient in an experimental brain death (BD) model in the rabbit. Methods. Rabbits were randomized into four experimental groups of eight ani mals each. In the control group (CTRL), anaesthetized rabbits were subjecte d to 30 min of left coronary marginal branch occlusion and 90 min of reperf usion without any pretreatment. In the CTRL+IP group, anaesthetized rabbits were preconditioned with a S-min ischemia and 3-min reperfusion sequence b efore coronary occlusion, In the ED group, rabbits were subjected to 90 min of ED before 30 min of coronary occlusion and 90 min of reperfusion, In th e BD+IP group, ED rabbits were preconditioned as in the CTRL+IP group befor e coronary occlusion, ED was induced by rapid inflation of an intracranial balloon and was validated by clinical and electroencephalographic examinati ons. At the termination of the experiment, left ventricular volume (LVV), m yocardial volume at risk (VAR) and infarct volume (TV) were determined with methylene blue and tetrazolium staining and were measured using planimetry , Results. LW was not significantly different among the four experimental gro ups (CTRL, 6.54+/-0.90 cm(3); CTRL+IP, 5.92+/-0.60 cm(3); ED, 5.87+/-0.81 c m(3); BD+IP, 6.16+/-0.95 cm(3); P=ns), Furthermore, myocardial VAR, express ed as a percentage of LW, was not significantly different between groups (C TRL, 20.0+/-4.2%; CTRL+IP, 22.32+/-2.25%; ED, 21.38+/-3.36%; BD+IP, 21.64+/ -3.39%; P=NS), IV expressed as a percentage of VAR, was significantly reduc ed in the CTRL+IP group compared with the CTRL group (15.76+/-8.47% vs. 49. 95+/-1.51%; P<0.0001), In contrast, there was no significant difference in IV, expressed as a percentage of VAR, between the ED and the BD+IP groups ( 50.0+/-1.52% vs. 49.72+/-1.58%; P=NS), Conclusion. The data indicate that the infarct-limiting effect of IP is los t in ED rabbits. Thus, the clinical potential of IP in the context of organ transplantation seems to be severely compromised.