Beneficial Effects of Tacrolimus on Brain-Death-Associated Right Ventricular Dysfunction in Pigs.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction remains a major problem after heart transplantation and may be associated with brain death (BD) in a donor. A calcineurin inhibitor tacrolimus was recently found to have beneficial effects on heart function. Here, we examined whether tacrolimus might prevent BD-induced RV dysfunction and the associated pathobiological changes.

Methods

After randomized tacrolimus (n = 8; 0.05 mg·kg^-1·day^-1) or placebo (n = 9) pretreatment, pigs were assigned to a BD procedure and hemodynamically investigated 1, 3, 5, and 7 h after the Cushing reflex. After euthanasia, myocardial tissue was sampled for pathobiological evaluation. Seven pigs were used as controls.

Results

Calcineurin inhibition prevented in

SUBMITTER: Belhaj A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10341891 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature