Effect of adenosine infusion before ischemic preconditioning on immature myocardial reperfusion injury in neonatal rabbits

AIM and METHODS:To investigate the cardioprotective effect of adenosine infusion before ischemic preconditioning on immature myocardial reperfusion injury in rabbit heart. Isolated perfused working heart model were performed, all hearts were subjected to 2-hour global hypothermic ischemia and received intermittent cold cardioplegia perfusion.RESULTS:During reperfusion, the recovery of left ventricular systolic pressure, left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, +dp/dt_max, and -dp/dt_max of hearts received adenosine infusion before ischemic preconditioning were significantly improved, myocardial adenosine triphosphate and adenosine diphosphate content and superoxide dismutase activity were higher, the leakage of myocardial creatine kinase and the malondialdehyde content were lower, and myocardial water content was obviously less.CONCLUSION:These results suggest adenosine infusion before ischemic preconditioning enhances cardioprotection of ischemic preconditioning against immature myocardial reperfusion injury in the rabbit heart.