Effects of 20-minute warm ischemia on coronary endothelial function of pig donor hearts after cardiac death

BACKGROUND: Myocardial and coronary endothelial injury occurs in donor hearts due to warm ischemia during cardiac transplantation. Coronary endothelial structure and function play a critical role in long-term outcomes for patients after cardiac transplantation. OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of hypoxia-induced warm ischemia (20 minutes) on coronary endothelial function of porcine donor hearts after cardiac death (DCD). METHODS: Sixteen healthy Swedish domestic pigs were randomized into control (n=6), DCD (n=5), and DCD plus cold storage (n=5) groups, respectively. A DCD model in pigs was established using the method of hypoxia-induced 20-minute warm ischemia in the DCD and DCD plus cold storage groups. Isolation of the heart left anterior descending coronary artery or combined with heart preservation pretreatment for 4 hours was performed in the DCD and DCD plus cold storage groups. The maximum coronary endothelium-dependent relaxation was determined in the three groups. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There were no significant differences in the maximum coronary endothelium-dependent relaxation and the minus logarithmic of substance concentration induced 50%maximal relaxation among three groups (P > 0.05). These results indicate that 20-minute warm ischemia cannot lead to obvious coronary endothelial dysfunction. In addition, DCD combined with 4-hour cold storage does not affect coronary endothelial function.