Left ventricular function in rats measured by apical catheterization

Background Evaluation of left ventricular function plays a vital role in the study of hemodynamics in the circulatory system.This study investigated the feasibility of measuring left ventricular function in rats with catheterization at the apex of the heart.Methods Left carotid catheterization was used to monitor artery pressure,then right carotid-ventricular catheterization and apical catheterization were orderly performed in 20 SD rats to observe the changes of left heart function.Heart rate,carotid arterial pressure,left ventricular peak pressure,left ventricular end-diastolic pressure were recorded by the biological function experiment system,and differential calculations analyzed the systolic and diastolic rate of left ventricular pressure.Results The peak left ventricular pressure was statistically different between when measured by right carotid-ventricle catheterization and by catheterization at the apex of heart(120.7±14.46 mmHg vs.114.04±12.01 mmHg,P<0.05).There was a significant difference in the carotid artery pressure between when the left ventricular function was measured by right carotid-ventricular catheterization and by apical catheterization(115.6±11.24 mmHg vs.108.07±12.33 mmHg,P<0.05),while a different statistical scenario existed for the maximum increase rate of left ventricular pressure(6197.89±1123.28 mmHg/s vs.5985.92±1342.81 mmHg/s,P>0.05);30 min later,the left ventricular pressure and the maximum increase rate of left ventricular pressure were not significantly different between the first and second measurement measured by catheterization at the apex of heart(114.04±12.01 mmHg vs.112.06±11.26 mmHg,5985.92±1342.81 mmHg/s vs.5700.86±598.97 mmHg/s,P>0.05).However,the maximum decline rate of left ventricular pressure was slightly lower compared with the previous measurement(5231.14±1302.57 mmHg/s vs.4862.72±610.49 mmHg/s,P<0.05).Conclusions It is feasible to evaluate cardiac function in rats by catheterization at the apex of heart,and it is superior to right carotid catheterization for its simpler operation,less bleeding risk,less operation time,and the measurement can be repeatedly conducted at least once.[S Chin J Cardiol 2021;22(1):50-56]