Efficacy and Safety of Renal Sympathetic Denervation on Dogs with Pressure Overload-Induced Heart Failure

Background In dogs with heart failure (HF) induced by overload pressure, the role of renal sympathetic denervation (RSD) on heart failure and in the renal artery is unclear. Therefore, we investigated the efficacy and safety of RSD in dogs with pressure overload-induced heart failure. Methods Twenty mongrel dogs were divided into a sham-operated group, an HF group and an HF + RSD group. In the sham-operated group, the abdominal aorta was located but was not constricted, in the HF group, the abdominal aorta was constricted without RSD, and the HF + RSD group underwent RSD with constriction of the abdominal aorta after 10 weeks. Blood sampling assays, echocardiography, intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) measurement and histopathological examination were performed. Results Renal sympathetic denervation caused a significant reduction in the levels of noradrenaline (166.62 +/- 6.84 vs. 183.48 +/- 13.66 pg/ml, P<0.05), plasma renin activity (1.93 +/- 0.12 vs. 2.10 +/- 0.13 ng/mlh, P<0.05) and B-type natriuretic peptide (71.14 +/- 3.86 vs. 83.15 +/- 5.73 pg/ml, P<0.05) at eight weeks after RSD in the HF + RSD group. Compared with the HF group at eight weeks, the left ventricular internal dimension at end-diastole and end-systole were lower and the left ventricular ejection fraction was higher (all P<0.05) at eight weeks after RSD in the HF+RSD group. Intravenous ultrasound images showed no changes in the renal artery lumen, and intimal hyperplasia and vascular lumen stenosis were not observed after RSD. Conclusions Renal sympathetic denervation could improve cardiac function in dogs with HF induced by pressure overload; RSD had no adverse influence on the renal artery.