Characterization of a new rat model for the cardio-renal syndrome

Abstract

The cardio-renal syndrome (CRS) is an umbrella term for life-threatening diseases in which cardiac and renal dysfunction occur simultaneously. It has been shown that heart failure patients with an increase in intra-abdominal pressure and central venous pressure (CVP), indicating the presence of abdominal and venous congestion, have a higher risk to develop CRS due to worsening renal function. It is hypothesized that abdominal venous congestion impairs heart and kidney function by causing damage to the heart and kidneys. Abdominal venous congestion was induced via constriction of the thoracic vena cava inferior (VCI). The effect of this constriction on heart, kidney and liver function was followed-up for twelve weeks after surgery via different in vivo and in vitro experiments.

It was shown that VCI constriction increased abdominal CVP, but that this increase had a limited effect on heart and kidney function. On the other hand, liver function deteriorated after VCI constriction. Therefore, it can be concluded that the rat model is validated as abdominal venous congestion was induced via constriction of the VCI. As the effect of VCI constriction on heart and kidney function was limited, the presence of abdominal venous congestion was insufficient to induce CRS. Consequently, in future CRS research, the role of abdominal venous congestion in CRS development and progression can be further explored by combining this rat model with other models of heart or kidney failure.