Radiofrequency catheter ablation and nerve growth factor concentration in humans
Received 9 April 2006; accepted 27 June 2006. published online 10 July 2006.
Background
In animal models, expression of nerve growth factor (NGF) is increased after necrotic myocardial injury. Whether radiofrequency (RF) catheter ablation increases NGF expression in humans is unclear.
Objectives
The purpose of this study was to determine NGF concentrations in the aorta, coronary sinus, and peripheral veins before and after RF ablation in patients.
Methods
We sampled blood from aorta and either great cardiac vein (group 1, N = 18) or proximal (group 2, N = 20) coronary sinus before and after RF ablation. In group 3 (N = 21), peripheral venous blood was sampled before and after RF ablation and then up to postoperative day 7. In group 4 (N = 10), we sampled peripheral venous blood during diagnostic electrophysiologic study. The NGF concentration was determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Transcardiac NGF concentration was the difference in NGF concentrations between coronary sinus and aorta.
Results
There was no change in transcardiac NGF concentrations in groups 1 and 2. In group 3, the NGF level did not change significantly from before the procedure (17.10 ± 15.80 ng/mL) to immediately after the procedure (14.46 ± 10.36 ng/mL). However, NGF levels increased significantly to 31.24 ± 19.82 ng/mL (N = 21, P <.0001) on postoperative day 1, 26.23 ± 16.89 ng/mL (N = 20, P <.001) on postoperative day 2, and 22.01 ± 11.35 ng/mL (N = 16, P = .003) on postoperative day 3. NGF concentrations did not change significantly in group 4.
Conclusion
RF ablation did not result in a detectable increase of transcardiac NGF concentration immediately after the procedure. However, the systemic NGF concentration increased significantly on postoperative days 1 to 3, suggesting that RF ablation resulted in increased NGF expression.
⁎Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
‡Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and the David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California
†Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, St. Mary Hospital and Catholic University, Seoul, Korea.
Address reprint requests and correspondence: Dr. Peng-Sheng Chen, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, 8700 Beverly Boulevard, Room 5537, Los Angeles, California 90048.
This study was supported by National Institutes of Health Grants HL66389, HL78932, P50-HL52319, and HL71140; a Wasserman Foundation Endowment; and a Pauline and Harold Price Endowment.
⁎ The first two authors contributed equally to this work.
ABSTRACT