ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: It is known that propofol protects myocardium against a global ischemia-reperfusion injury in the isolated rat heart model. The aim of this study was to investigate whether propofol, at a clinically relevant concentration infused during the peri-ischemic period, also provides a protective effect against a regional myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in vivo. METHODS: Rats were subjected to 25 minutes of coronary artery occlusion followed by 24 hours of reperfusion. Propofol or intralipid was administrated during 35 minutes starting 5 minutes before the onset of ischemia until 5 minutes after the onset of reperfusion. A micromanometer catheter was advanced into the left ventricle and the hemodynamic function was evaluated. The infarct size was determined by triphenyltetrazolium staining after 24 hours of reperfusion. RESULTS: Propofol administration during the peri-ischemic period demonstrated protective effects on hemodynamic function and infarct size reduction. In the control group, the peak rate of the ventricular pressure increase (+dP/dt(max))(P = 0.0001) and the peak rate of the intraventricular pressure decline (-dP/dt(max))(P = 0.0001) were significantly decreased compared to the sham group. In the propofol group, the +dP/dt(max) (P = 0.003) and -dP/dt(max) (P = 0.002) were significantly improved compared to the control group. The infarct size was 47.6% of the area at risks in the control group, and was reduced markedly by administration of propofol during the peri-ischemic period to 26.2% in the propofol group (P = 0.004). CONCLUSIONS: Propofol, at a clinically relevant concentration infused during the peri-ischemic period, have protective effect after regional myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in an in vivo rat heart model.