Doppler echocardiography and tissue Doppler imaging in the healthy rabbit: differences of cardiac function during awake and anaesthetised examination.

Full Abstract

OBJECTIVE:
In the past years, Doppler echocardiography has evolved into a commonly used technique. More recent sophisticated advances in imaging quality have substantially improved spatial and temporal resolution allowing the adaptation of this technique to small animal models, particularly in rabbits but even in mice. Recently, parameters obtained by Tissue Doppler Imaging (TDI) have been shown to be more independent of pre- and afterload than classic hemodynamic Doppler measurements. Exploration of animal models may require anaesthesia but there is only very little information on the effect of anaesthesia on echocardiographic parameters in rabbits.

METHODS:
We therefore performed Doppler-echocardiographic examinations of 20 wild-type New Zealand White rabbits in awake state and under light ketamine-xylazine anaesthesia. Special focus was put on the evaluation of global and regional left ventricular systolic and diastolic function using TDI and the myocardial performance index (Tei-index).

RESULTS:
Doppler-echocardiographic measurements including TDI in rabbits were feasible to assess cardiac morphology and function within a short examination time. There were some distinct changes of functional parameters during anaesthesia. Exemplary for systolic function, fractional shortening, cardiac output and systolic TDI velocity of the lateral wall decreased distinctly. Global left ventricular function measured by the Tei-index deteriorated.

CONCLUSIONS:
Doppler echocardiography and TDI can be performed easily, quickly and safely in the rabbit. Anaesthesia with the cardiodepressive ketamine-xylazine shows some distinct Doppler-echocardiographically measurable negative effects on cardiac function. Thus, echocardiography with less cardiodepressive anaesthetic regimes or even without anaesthesia after training of the animals should be considered as alternatives whenever possible.

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Author information

Author/s: Stypmann, Jörg (J); Engelen, Markus A (MA); Breithardt, Anne-Kristin (AK); Milberg, Peter (P); Rothenburger, Markus (M); Breithardt, Ole A (OA); Breithardt, Günter (G); Eckardt, Lars (L); Cordula, Poulsen Nautrup (PN);

Affiliation: Department of Cardiology and Angiology, University Hospital Münster, Germany. Stypmann(-atsign-)mednet.uni-muenster.de

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: International journal of cardiology (Int J Cardiol), published in Netherlands. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-Feb; vol 115 (issue 2) : pp 164-70

Dates: Created 2007/01/29; Completed 2007/04/04;

PMID: 16806537, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Anesthesia
Animals
Echocardiography, Doppler
Female
Heart - physiology

Heart - physiology
Male
Rabbits
Ultrasonography, Doppler
Wakefulness

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