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Atrial fibrillation pacing decreases intravascular shear stress in a New Zealand white rabbit model: implications in endothelial function

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Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is characterized by multiple rapid and irregular atrial depolarization, leading to rapid ventricular responses exceeding 100 beats per minute (bpm). We hypothesized that rapid and irregular pacing reduced intravascular shear stress (ISS) with implication to modulating endothelial responses. To simulate AF, we paced the left atrial appendage of New Zealand White rabbits (n = 4) at rapid and irregular intervals. Surface electrical cardiograms were recorded for atrial and ventricular rhythm, and intravascular convective heat transfer was measured by microthermal sensors, from which ISS was inferred. Rapid and irregular pacing decreased arterial systolic and diastolic pressures (baseline, 99/75 mmHg; rapid regular pacing, 92/73; rapid irregular pacing, 90/68; p < 0.001, n = 4), temporal gradients (\({\partial\tau/\partial t}\) from 1,275 ± 80 to 1,056 ± 180 dyne/cm2 s), and reduced ISS (from baseline at 32.0 ± 2.4 to 22.7 ± 3.5 dyne/cm2). Computational fluid dynamics code demonstrated that experimentally inferred ISS provided a close approximation to the computed wall shear stress at a given catheter to vessel diameter ratio, shear stress range, and catheter position. In an in vitro flow system in which time-averaged shear stress was maintained at \({{\tau_{\rm avg}} = 23 \pm 4\, {\rm dyn}\, {\rm cm}^{-2} {\rm s}^{-1}}\) , we further demonstrated that rapid pulse rates at 150 bpm down-regulated endothelial nitric oxide, promoted superoxide (O .−2 ) production, and increased monocyte binding to endothelial cells. These findings suggest that rapid pacing reduces ISS and \({\partial\tau/\partial t}\) , and rapid pulse rates modulate endothelial responses.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Biomedical Engineering and Cardiovascular Medicine, School of Engineering and Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA

    Nelson Jen, Fei Yu, Juhyun Lee, Xiaohu Dai, Christina Chen, Pai Chawareeyawong, Rongsong Li & Tzung K. Hsiai

  2. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, Madison, WI, 53792, USA

    Steve Wasmund & Mohamed H. Hamdan

  3. Department of Electrical Engineering, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85281, USA

    Yongmo Yang

  4. Division of Cardiovascular Medicine and Biomedical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, 90089, USA

    Tzung K. Hsiai

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  1. Nelson Jen
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Correspondence to Tzung K. Hsiai.

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The authors Nelson Jen and Fei Yu contributed equally.

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Jen, N., Yu, F., Lee, J. et al. Atrial fibrillation pacing decreases intravascular shear stress in a New Zealand white rabbit model: implications in endothelial function. Biomech Model Mechanobiol 12, 735–745 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10237-012-0437-0

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