A model for left ventricular hypertrophy enabling non-invasive assessment of cardiac function

Objective.To develop a porcine model for Left Ventricular Hypertrophy (LVH) in which cardiac performance could be quantified non-invasively by Doppler ultrasound. Design. Sixteen 5 kg piglets were divided into two groups. In the first group (n=12) we performed an aortic banding and in the second group (n=4) a sham-operation. Endpoints were echo-assessed left ventricular midseptal and free-wall thickness, heart/body-weight ratio and cardiac myocyte diameter. Results.Free-wall thickness: 0.77 +/- 0.013 cm in the intervention group and 0.60 +/- 0.006 cm in the control group (p=0.015). Midseptal thickness: 0.79 +/- 0.015 cm in the intervention group and 0.58 +/- 0.010 cm in the control group (p=0.012). Heart/body-weight ratio: 7.73 +/- 0.970 in the intervention group and 6.23 +/- 0.430 in the control group (p=0.003). Cardiac myocyte diameter: 19.6 +/- 4.9 mu m in the intervention group and 11.0 +/- 1.9 mu m in the control group (p=0.000). Conclusion. A chronic porcine model for LVH has been established in which Doppler ultrasound can be used to quantify cardiac function non-invasively.