Aim: To investigate whether renal ischemic preconditioning could protect myocardium from ischemic-reperfusion injury.
Methods: Thirty-two adult white rabbits were randomly divided into four groups: group sham operation (SO), myocardial ischemic-reperfusion (I/R), classical ischemic preconditioning (CIPC) and renal ischemic preconditioning (RIPC). Changes of left ventricular functions, myocardial infarct size, myocardial ultrastructure and cardiac arrhythmia were observed.
Results: RIPC and CIPC could reduce the myocardial infarct size and the attack rate of arrhythmia (P < 0.01 vs I/R); improve the left ventricular functions (P < 0.01 vs I/R) and minimized the ultrastructure injury of I/R myocardium.
Conclusion: The RIPC might elicit a myocardial protection against ischemic-reperfusion injury, which is similar to the effect of CIPC.