Validity of the microdialysis technique for experimental in vivo studies of myocardial energy metabolism

Objectives: The validity of the microdialysis technique for experimental in vivo studies of myocardial energy metabolism is not known. To address this question interstitial levels of energy-related metabolites (lactate, adenosine, inosine and hypoxanthine) obtained by the microdialysis technique were compared with corresponding metabolites from myocardial biopsies at given intervals in a porcine heart model using different protocols of ischaemia and reperfusion. Methods: In an open chest porcine heart model, interstitial levels of energy-related metabolites were monitored using the microdialysis technique. All animals (n = 23) were subjected to 120-min pretreatment followed by 40 min of regional ischaemia and 120 min of reperfusion. Tissue biopsies were obtained in the beginning, middle and at the end of the 40-min ischaemic period and at the end of the reperfusion period. Pretreatment consisted of either rest (group 1, n = 7), or rest for 90 min and one ischaemia/reperfusion (10 + 20 min) cycle (group 2, n = 9), or four ischaemia/reperfusion cycles (10 + 20 min each) (group 3, n = 7). Results: Interstitial levels of energy-related metabolites monitored by the microdialysis technique correlated with tissue biopsy levels of lactate (r = 0.90, P < 0.001), adenosine (r = 0.89, P < 0.001), inosine (r = 0.88, P < 0.001) and hypoxanthine (r = 0.91, P < 0.001), respectively, which were obtained by tissue biopsies at given time intervals. These significant correlations were valid regardless of the functional state of the myocardium. Conclusion: We observed significant correlations between microdialysis probe levels and tissue biopsy levels of energy-related metabolites in both ischaemic and non-ischaemic tissue. These data assess the validity of the microdialysis technique (in the current setting) for studying dynamic changes of myocardial energy metabolism.