Skip Navigation

Cardiovascular Research 2000 48(2):233-243; doi:10.1016/S0008-6363(00)00167-X
© 2000 by European Society of Cardiology
This Article
Right arrow Full Text Freely available
Right arrow FREE Full Text (PDF) Freely available
Right arrow E-letters: Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when E-letters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in ISI Web of Science
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow Search for citing articles in:
ISI Web of Science (3)
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Hu, X.W
Right arrow Articles by Levi, A.J
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Hu, X.W
Right arrow Articles by Levi, A.J
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

Copyright © 2000, European Society of Cardiology

Intra-uterine growth retardation results in increased cardiac arrhythmias and raised diastolic blood pressure in adult rats

X.W Hua,b, A Levya, E.J Harta, L.A Nolana, G.R Daltonb and A.J Levib,*

aDivision of Medicine, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS2 8HT, UK
bDepartment of Physiology, Cardiovascular Research Laboratories, University of Bristol, University Walk, Bristol, BS8 1TD, UK

* Corresponding author. Tel.: +44-117-928-8025; fax: +44-117-928-8923 allan.levi{at}bristol.ac.uk

Objectives: Epidemiological evidence in humans suggests that intrauterine growth retardation is associated with an increased risk of hypertension and coronary heart disease in later life. To begin to understand the mechanisms involved, we developed and exploited a rat model of intrauterine growth retardation to assess predisposition to arrhythmias and resting blood pressure levels at defined ages from 4 to 18 months. Methods: Isolated working heart experiments were carried out on rats that had been subjected to intrauterine growth retardation by prenatal protein deprivation and age-matched male Wistar controls to measure susceptibility to wall stress-induced arrhythmias. In addition, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured in conscious rats via an indwelling arterial catheter. Results: Hearts from intrauterine growth retarded animals showed significantly more ventricular premature beats and more episodes of ventricular tachycardia at all ages examined (4, 9 and 18 months), and at 4 and 18 months, a reduction in coronary blood flow. Diastolic pressure was significantly raised by intrauterine growth retardation in both groups examined (4 and 9 months). Conclusions: Protein malnutrition during the intrauterine period results in profound intrauterine growth retardation that is associated with a raised diastolic blood pressure and an increased predisposition to cardiac arrhythmias in later life. These results are consistent with epidemiological observations made in human populations, and as similar pathophysiological changes may operate in both situations, intrauterine protein deprivation may be a useful model to help define some of the mechanisms involved.

KEYWORDS ECG; Coronary circulation; Blood pressure; Ventricular arrhythmias


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Reproductive SciencesHome page
L. Zhang
Prenatal Hypoxia and Cardiac Programming
Reproductive Sciences, January 1, 2005; 12(1): 2 - 13.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 EndocrinologyHome page
L. A. Nolan, E. J. Hart, R. J. Windle, S. A. Wood, X. W. Hu, A. J. Levi, C. D. Ingram, and A. Levy
Lack of Effect of Protein Deprivation-Induced Intrauterine Growth Retardation on Behavior and Corticosterone and Growth Hormone Secretion in Adult Male Rats: A Long-Term Follow-Up Study
Endocrinology, July 1, 2001; 142(7): 2996 - 3005.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


Disclaimer: Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.