An implantable system for long-term assessment of atrial fibrillation substrate in unanesthetized rats exposed to underlying pathological conditions.

ABSTRACT: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a progressive arrhythmia with underlying mechanisms that are not fully elucidated, partially due to lack of reliable and affordable animal models. Here, we introduce a system for long-term assessment of AF susceptibility (substrate) in ambulatory rats implanted with miniature electrodes on the atrium. Rats were subjected to excessive aldosterone (Aldo) or solvent only (Sham). An additional group was exposed to myocardial infarction (MI). AF substrate was tested two- and four-weeks post implantation and was also compared with implanted rats early post-implantation (Base). Aldo and MI increased the AF substrate and atrial fibrosis. In the MI group only, AF duration was correlated with the level of atrial fibrosis and was inversely correlated with systolic function

SUBMITTER: Klapper-Goldstein H 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6969190 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature