The effect of sleep deprivation on cardiac function and tolerance to ischemia-reperfusion injury in male rats

Studies investigating the relationship between sleep deprivation (SD) and the risk of coronary disease are scant. The aim of this study was therefore to determine the effect of SD on basal hemodynamic functions and tolerance to myocardial ischemia reperfusion (IR) injury in male rats. Male Wistar rats were divided into control and SD groups (n=8/group). Sleep deprivation was induced by flower pot model for 4 days. Isolated hearts were perfused with Langendorff setup and exposed to 30 minutes of global ischemia followed by 45 minutes of reperfusion in both groups. Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP), heart rate (HR), and peak rates of positive and negative changes in left ventricular pressure (±dp/dt) were measured at baseline and after IR. Heart NOx level, and coronary flow CK-MB and LDH were measured after IR. In the SD group, the baseline levels of LVDP (19%), + dp/dt (18%), and - dp/dt (21%), were significantly (p<0.05) lower and HR was significantly higher (32%), compared to the controls. After ischemia, hearts from SD group, displayed a significant increase in HR together with a low hemodynamic function recovery compared to the controls. In SD groups, NOx level in heart and coronary flow CK-MB and LDH were significantly higher after IR. Hearts from SD rats had less basal cardiac function and less tolerance to IR injury compared to control, which may be due to increase in NOx production after IR.