Study of pulmonary hemodynamics and cardiac morphofunctional variables secondary to pulmonary emphysema induced by porcine pancretic elastase in dibetic rats

• Grant number: 10/10831-9
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: October 01, 2010
• End date: September 30, 2012
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Immunology - Cellular Immunology
• Principal Investigator: Paulina Sannomiya
• Grantee: Paulina Sannomiya
• Host Institution: Instituto do Coração Professor Euryclides de Jesus Zerbini (INCOR). Hospital das Clínicas da Faculdade de Medicina da USP (HCFMUSP). Secretaria da Saúde (São Paulo - Estado). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated researchers: Antonio Di Petta ; Luiz Felipe Pinho Moreira ; Paulo Manuel Pêgo-Fernandes

Abstract

Clinical studies in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) showed that structural and functional alterations of the lung microcirculation are major factors for the development of pulmonary hypertension and right ventricular hypertrophy during COPD-associated hypoxemia. In addition, pulmonary microcirculatory dysfunctions associated with diabetes mellitus increase the gravity of the ongoing COPD. The present study aims to investigate pulmonary hemodynamics and cardiac morphofunctional variables secondary to pulmonary emphysema induced by porcine pancreatic elastase in diabetic rats. The study design includes: 1) echocardiographic analysis; 2) body weight/heart weight ratio: 3) heart morphometric analysis; 4) histological and morphometric analyses of lung parenchyma; 5) quantitative analysis of elastic fibers; 6) quantitative analysis of collagen fibers; 7) pulmonary hemodynamics: ex vivo functional evaluation: 8) arterial blood gases and electrolytes. (AU)