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BMC cardiovascular disorders2017; 17(1); 289; doi: 10.1186/s12872-017-0720-1

Effect of flecainide on atrial fibrillatory rate in a large animal model with induced atrial fibrillation.

Abstract: Atrial fibrillatory cycle length has been considered one of the indices of atrial electrical remodelling during atrial fibrillation (AF), which can be assessed from surface ECG by computer-assisted calculation of atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR). Horses have been suggested as a bona fide model for AF studies since horses too, develop lone AF, however data on AF characteristics in horses are extremely sparse and non-invasive characterization of AF complexity using surface ECG processing has not been reported. Objective: The aim was to study characteristics of induced AF and its modification by flecainide. Methods: The study group consisted on 3 horses with spontaneous persistent AF and 13 with pace-induced AF. Seven horses were treated with saline (control) and eight with flecainide (2 mg/kg). ECGs were analysed using spatiotemporal cancellation of QRST complexes and calculation of AFR from the residual atrial signal. Results: At AF onset, AFR was 295 ± 52 fibrillations per minute (fpm) in the horses with induced AF treated with flecainide, 269 ± 36 fpm in the control group (ns), and 364 ± 26 fpm in the horses with spontaneous persistent AF (P < 0.05 compared to the control group). Flecainide caused a decrease in AFR in all animals and restored sinus rhythm in the animals with induced AF. In the control animals, AFR increased from 269 ± 36 fpm to a plateau of 313 ± 14 fpm before decreasing to 288 ± 28 fpm during the last 10% of the AF episodes preceding spontaneous conversion (P < 0.05). Conclusions: AFR in horses with induced AF resembles AFR in humans with paroxysmal AF. Flecainide caused a rapid decrease in AFR in all horses, further supporting the method to be a non-invasive technique to study the effect of antiarrhythmic compounds.
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Publication Date: 2017-12-08 PubMed ID: 29221440PubMed Central: PMC5723027DOI: 10.1186/s12872-017-0720-1Google Scholar: Lookup
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  • Journal Article

Summary

This research summary has been generated with artificial intelligence and may contain errors and omissions. Refer to the original study to confirm details provided. Submit correction.

This research explores the impacts of a drug called flecainide on atrial fibrillatory rate (AFR) in horses. The study used horses because their hearts develop a condition called atrial fibrillation (AF) just like in humans, but up until now, there’s been limited data on this disease in horses.

Objective and Methods

The research aimed to study traits of induced atrial fibrillation in horses and how flecainide modifies those traits. A total of 16 horses were used in the experiment, out of these, 3 had persistent AF, and the remaining 13 had AF induced by pacing. Seven horses served as a control group and were treated with saline, while the other eight were given flecainide. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were used to analyze the horse’s heart rhythm. By using a computer-assisted process, the AFR was calculated from the ECGs.

Results

  • At the onset of AF, the AFR in the horses with AF induced by pacing and treated with flecainide was 295±52 fibrillations per minute.
  • The control group (without flecainide) had an AFR of 269±36 fibrillations per minute.
  • The horses with spontaneous persistent AF (without pacing) had an AFR of 364±26 fibrillations per minute – significantly higher than the control group.
  • Flecainide decreased AFR in all cases and restored regular heartbeat rhythm (sinus rhythm) in the animals with induced AF.
  • In the control group, AFR initially increased, reaching a plateau before dropping slightly. These changes were statistically significant.

Conclusion

The study supports the idea that horses might be a suitable model for studying AF since AFR in horses with induced AF is similar to that in humans with paroxysmal AF. Flecainide was found to cause a rapid decrease in AFR in all horses, which shows that it might be useful as an antiarrhythmic compound. This experiment exemplifies a non-invasive technique for studying the effect of such compounds on AF.

Cite This Article

APA
Hesselkilde EZ, Carstensen H, Haugaard MM, Carlson J, Pehrson S, Jespersen T, Buhl R, Platonov PG. (2017). Effect of flecainide on atrial fibrillatory rate in a large animal model with induced atrial fibrillation. BMC Cardiovasc Disord, 17(1), 289. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12872-017-0720-1

Publication

BMC cardiovascular disorders
ISSN: 1471-2261
NlmUniqueID: 100968539
Country: England
Language: English
Volume: 17
Issue: 1
Pages: 289

Researcher Affiliations

Hesselkilde, Eva Z
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Allé 5, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark.
Carstensen, Helena
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Allé 5, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark.
Haugaard, Maria M
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Allé 5, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark.
Carlson, Jonas
  • Department of Cardiology, Lund University, 21185, Lund, Sweden.
Pehrson, Steen
  • Department of Cardiology, The Heart Centre, University of Copenhagen, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Jespersen, Thomas
  • Department of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 3, 2200, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Buhl, Rikke
  • Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, Højbakkegaard Allé 5, 2630, Taastrup, Denmark. rib@sund.ku.dk.
Platonov, Pyotr G
  • Arrhythmia Clinic, Skåne University Hospital and Department of Cardiology, Clinical Sciences, Lund University, 21185, Lund, Sweden.

MeSH Terms

  • Action Potentials / drug effects
  • Animals
  • Anti-Arrhythmia Agents / pharmacology
  • Atrial Fibrillation / diagnosis
  • Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
  • Atrial Fibrillation / prevention & control
  • Cardiac Pacing, Artificial
  • Disease Models, Animal
  • Electrocardiography
  • Female
  • Flecainide / pharmacology
  • Heart Atria / drug effects
  • Heart Atria / physiopathology
  • Heart Rate / drug effects
  • Horses
  • Male
  • Time Factors

Grant Funding

  • DFF-1331-00313B / The Danish Council for Independent Research
  • #20140734 / The Danish Horse Levy Foundation
  • #20110875 / The Swedish Heart-Lung Foundation

Conflict of Interest Statement

ETHICS APPROVAL AND CONSENT TO PARTICIPATE: The studies were approved by The Danish Animal Experiments Inspectorate (license number 2012–15–2934-00198) and by the local ethical committee at University of Copenhagen. The horses induced with AF were retired trotters purchased as experimental animals whereas the horses with spontaneous AF was horses presented in the clinic at The University Hospital for Large Animals, Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, due to AF. Owner consent was obtained for all horses participated in the study. CONSENT FOR PUBLICATION: Not applicable. COMPETING INTERESTS: The authors declare that they have no competing interests. PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Citations

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