Trauma-induced secondary cardiac injury (TISCI) represents an under recognised complication of severe injury with haemorrhage. A limited number of clinical studies have supported the development of adverse cardiac events, such as arrhythmia, in association with biomarker proven TISCI. Pre-clinical studies using small animal models have provided insights into potential mechanisms and key effector molecules involved in the development of TISCI, but there remains a general lack of understanding regarding the in vivo functional implications of this indirect cardiac injury resulting from trauma-haemorrhage. This project aimed to investigate the implications of cardiac injury on myocardial systolic function. A robust, translatable model of TISCI was developed, which reflected the cardiac biomarker profile identified in clinical studies and, for the first time, demonstrated a significant, dose-dependent rise in Heart-type Fatty Acid Binding Protein (H-FABP) in response to trauma-haemorrhage. Non-invasive echocardiography was used to determine the acute myocardial response to injury and haemorrhage and also to assess the response of the left ventricle to resuscitation after an antecedent 60-minute period of trauma-haemorrhage. The functional studies presented here have enabled real time visualisation of the impact of trauma-haemorrhage upon systolic left ventricular function over 1 to 6 hours, both with and without resuscitation. Having established the trends in in vivo systolic function over time, further studies were then conducted to test the combination of adenosine, lidocaine and magnesium (ALM) as a cardiovascular rescue agent in TISCI. ALM, as an adjunct to fluid resuscitation, has shown great promise as a therapeutic agent which improves haemodynamic outcomes, reduces the volume of resuscitation fluid required and favours survival in the murine model of TISCI.

No description available.

Since 1933, studies have explored the concept of trauma induced secondary cardiac injury (TISCI), yet till 2012, it had not been defined as the incidence of cardiac events and rise in cardiac biomarkers following traumatic injury. Despite, improvements in early outcomes, trauma patients have reduced long-term mortality with cardiac disease being the major contributor. Although many putative mechanisms have been suggested for TISCI, the underpinning pathophysiology still remains unclear. In this thesis, a prospective study of 290 critically injured patients identifies a 13% incidence of adverse cardiac events (ACE) with consistently raised serum h-FABP levels in these patients. H-FABP was found to be a good predictor of ACE through ROC analysis and a h-FABP of 16.8 ng/ml used to define trauma induced secondary cardiac injury (TISCI). TISCI was associated with longer hospital stay and higher mortality. Patients who developed ACE had higher plasma levels of adrenaline and noradrenaline with a correlating increase in plasma h-FABP. On multivariate analysis, hypertension was the only independent risk factors for ACE. The increase in serum cardiac biomarkers was reflected by an increase in serum h- FABP in our group's trauma hemorrhage murine models. The hearts of these models were used in the experiments that form the last experimental chapter of this thesis. Protein expression studies confirm this increase in serum h-FABP by evidence of concurrent leaching in the cardiac tissue, along with Troponin I. Myocardial injury was evident on electron microscopy with evidence of interstitial and organelle oedema, myofibrillar degeneration, nuclear condensation and changes in mitochondrial morphology. Immunohistochemistry and western blotting protein studies demonstrate the translocation of the mitochondrial death-related protein AIF to the cytosol and nucleus, where it becomes its active pro-apoptotic form. This thesis propositions the utility of the cardiac biomarker h-FABP in predicting ACE and outcomes in critically injured patients. Although increasing serum noradrenaline and adrenaline levels are associated with higher incidence of ACE and biochemical evidence of cardiac injury with rising h-FABP levels, multivariate analysis negates their value as independent predictors of ACE. Leaching out of the proteins h-FABP and Troponin I in the murine cardiac tissue confirmed the value of serum measurements of these proteins as markers of cardiac injury. This was associated with widespread ultrastructural myocardial damage in the TH mice with changes in mitochondrial morphology. The mitochondrial damage seen is associated with the translocation of the mitochondrial death-related protein AIF to the cytosol and the nucleus where I propose its canonical signaling leading to nuclear degradation and cell death is the driver of cardiac dysfunction.

Esse estudo descreve casos de “morte súbita” em bovinos associados com a ingestão de Amorimia (Mascagnia) exotropica em seis propriedades rurais localizadas na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre e da serra gaúcha. Os bovinos intoxicados foram encontrados mortos sem história de sinais clínicos prévios, ou apresentaram tremores musculares, quedas bruscas, movimentos de pedalagem, opistótono, respiração ofegante e decúbito lateral, quando induzidos ao movimento poucos minutos antes da morte. Registrou-se maior número de casos entre os meses de maio e agosto. Nove bovinos foram necropsiados e os principais achados macroscópicos observados foram mucosa oral levemente cianótica (3/9), hidropericárdio leve a moderado (3/9), petéquias e equimoses no epicárdio (5/9), coágulo no interior do ventrículo esquerdo (4/9), edema pulmonar (5/9) e mucosas vermelhas no abomaso e no intestino delgado (6/9). Histologicamente havia necrose de coagulação no miocárdio (9/9) caracterizada por retração celular, aumento da eosinofilia do citoplasma com perda das estriações, núcleos em picnose e ocasionais núcleos em cariorrexia e cariólise. No coração, edema intersticial (3/9) e infiltrado inflamatório intersticial, predominantemente, mononuclear (7/9) também foram observados. Nos rins de três bovinos havia degeneração hidrópicovacuolar multifocal das células epiteliais dos túbulos contorcidos distais associada com núcleos picnóticos deslocados para periferia da célula. As lesões cardíacas desses bovinos foram demonstradas através da imuno-histoquímica para troponina cardíaca C (cTnC). Nos corações dos bovinos intoxicados ocorreu diminuição acentuada de cTnC no citoplasma de grupos dos cardiomiócitos com características microscópicas de degeneração e necrose e, em algumas áreas havia perda total de imunomarcação. Raras fibras musculares cardíacas sem alteração histológica apresentaram perda de imunomarcação. Nos demais cardiomiócitos dos bovinos intoxicados sem lesões histológicas observou-se intensa marcação citoplasmática. / This study describes cases of sudden death in cattle that were associated with the consumption of Amorimia (Mascagnia) exotropica and occurred in six ranches located in the mountainous region of Rio Grande do Sul and the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Affected cattle were found dead with no history of previous clinical signs, or showed muscular tremors, falls, paddling, opistotonus, panting, and lateral recumbence after being induced to move, few minutes before death. Most cases were recorded between May and August. Nine cattle were necropsied and main gross findings were oral mucosa slightly cyanotic (3/9), mild to intermediate hydropericardium (3/9), epicardial petechiae and ecchymoses (5/9), clot within the left ventricle (4/9), lung edema (5/9), apart of abomasal and small intestinal reddened mucosa (6/9). Histologically, there was myocardial coagulation necrosis (9/9), which was characterized by cellular retraction, enhanced cytoplasmic eosinophilia, lack of cytoplasmic striations and occasional nuclear karyorrhexis and karyolysis. There also were interstitial edema (3/9) and interstitial inflammatory infiltrate (mainly mononuclear) (7/9) in the heart. Apart of multifocal vacuolar-hydropic degeneration in the epithelial cells of the distal convoluted tubules associated with pyknotic and eccentric nuclei in the kidneys of three cattle. The cardiac lesions of these cattle were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry for cardiac troponin C (cTnC). In the hearts of cattle intoxicated was severe reduction of the cTnC in the cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes groups with microscopic features of degeneration and necrosis, and in some areas with complete loss of immunoreactivity. Rare cardiac muscle fibers showed no histological abnormality loss of immune-marking. In the remaining cardiomyocytes in cattle poisoned histological lesions were absent, but an intense cytoplasmic staining in these cells was observed.

Esse estudo descreve casos de “morte súbita” em bovinos associados com a ingestão de Amorimia (Mascagnia) exotropica em seis propriedades rurais localizadas na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre e da serra gaúcha. Os bovinos intoxicados foram encontrados mortos sem história de sinais clínicos prévios, ou apresentaram tremores musculares, quedas bruscas, movimentos de pedalagem, opistótono, respiração ofegante e decúbito lateral, quando induzidos ao movimento poucos minutos antes da morte. Registrou-se maior número de casos entre os meses de maio e agosto. Nove bovinos foram necropsiados e os principais achados macroscópicos observados foram mucosa oral levemente cianótica (3/9), hidropericárdio leve a moderado (3/9), petéquias e equimoses no epicárdio (5/9), coágulo no interior do ventrículo esquerdo (4/9), edema pulmonar (5/9) e mucosas vermelhas no abomaso e no intestino delgado (6/9). Histologicamente havia necrose de coagulação no miocárdio (9/9) caracterizada por retração celular, aumento da eosinofilia do citoplasma com perda das estriações, núcleos em picnose e ocasionais núcleos em cariorrexia e cariólise. No coração, edema intersticial (3/9) e infiltrado inflamatório intersticial, predominantemente, mononuclear (7/9) também foram observados. Nos rins de três bovinos havia degeneração hidrópicovacuolar multifocal das células epiteliais dos túbulos contorcidos distais associada com núcleos picnóticos deslocados para periferia da célula. As lesões cardíacas desses bovinos foram demonstradas através da imuno-histoquímica para troponina cardíaca C (cTnC). Nos corações dos bovinos intoxicados ocorreu diminuição acentuada de cTnC no citoplasma de grupos dos cardiomiócitos com características microscópicas de degeneração e necrose e, em algumas áreas havia perda total de imunomarcação. Raras fibras musculares cardíacas sem alteração histológica apresentaram perda de imunomarcação. Nos demais cardiomiócitos dos bovinos intoxicados sem lesões histológicas observou-se intensa marcação citoplasmática. / This study describes cases of sudden death in cattle that were associated with the consumption of Amorimia (Mascagnia) exotropica and occurred in six ranches located in the mountainous region of Rio Grande do Sul and the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Affected cattle were found dead with no history of previous clinical signs, or showed muscular tremors, falls, paddling, opistotonus, panting, and lateral recumbence after being induced to move, few minutes before death. Most cases were recorded between May and August. Nine cattle were necropsied and main gross findings were oral mucosa slightly cyanotic (3/9), mild to intermediate hydropericardium (3/9), epicardial petechiae and ecchymoses (5/9), clot within the left ventricle (4/9), lung edema (5/9), apart of abomasal and small intestinal reddened mucosa (6/9). Histologically, there was myocardial coagulation necrosis (9/9), which was characterized by cellular retraction, enhanced cytoplasmic eosinophilia, lack of cytoplasmic striations and occasional nuclear karyorrhexis and karyolysis. There also were interstitial edema (3/9) and interstitial inflammatory infiltrate (mainly mononuclear) (7/9) in the heart. Apart of multifocal vacuolar-hydropic degeneration in the epithelial cells of the distal convoluted tubules associated with pyknotic and eccentric nuclei in the kidneys of three cattle. The cardiac lesions of these cattle were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry for cardiac troponin C (cTnC). In the hearts of cattle intoxicated was severe reduction of the cTnC in the cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes groups with microscopic features of degeneration and necrosis, and in some areas with complete loss of immunoreactivity. Rare cardiac muscle fibers showed no histological abnormality loss of immune-marking. In the remaining cardiomyocytes in cattle poisoned histological lesions were absent, but an intense cytoplasmic staining in these cells was observed.

Esse estudo descreve casos de “morte súbita” em bovinos associados com a ingestão de Amorimia (Mascagnia) exotropica em seis propriedades rurais localizadas na região metropolitana de Porto Alegre e da serra gaúcha. Os bovinos intoxicados foram encontrados mortos sem história de sinais clínicos prévios, ou apresentaram tremores musculares, quedas bruscas, movimentos de pedalagem, opistótono, respiração ofegante e decúbito lateral, quando induzidos ao movimento poucos minutos antes da morte. Registrou-se maior número de casos entre os meses de maio e agosto. Nove bovinos foram necropsiados e os principais achados macroscópicos observados foram mucosa oral levemente cianótica (3/9), hidropericárdio leve a moderado (3/9), petéquias e equimoses no epicárdio (5/9), coágulo no interior do ventrículo esquerdo (4/9), edema pulmonar (5/9) e mucosas vermelhas no abomaso e no intestino delgado (6/9). Histologicamente havia necrose de coagulação no miocárdio (9/9) caracterizada por retração celular, aumento da eosinofilia do citoplasma com perda das estriações, núcleos em picnose e ocasionais núcleos em cariorrexia e cariólise. No coração, edema intersticial (3/9) e infiltrado inflamatório intersticial, predominantemente, mononuclear (7/9) também foram observados. Nos rins de três bovinos havia degeneração hidrópicovacuolar multifocal das células epiteliais dos túbulos contorcidos distais associada com núcleos picnóticos deslocados para periferia da célula. As lesões cardíacas desses bovinos foram demonstradas através da imuno-histoquímica para troponina cardíaca C (cTnC). Nos corações dos bovinos intoxicados ocorreu diminuição acentuada de cTnC no citoplasma de grupos dos cardiomiócitos com características microscópicas de degeneração e necrose e, em algumas áreas havia perda total de imunomarcação. Raras fibras musculares cardíacas sem alteração histológica apresentaram perda de imunomarcação. Nos demais cardiomiócitos dos bovinos intoxicados sem lesões histológicas observou-se intensa marcação citoplasmática. / This study describes cases of sudden death in cattle that were associated with the consumption of Amorimia (Mascagnia) exotropica and occurred in six ranches located in the mountainous region of Rio Grande do Sul and the metropolitan region of Porto Alegre, Brazil. Affected cattle were found dead with no history of previous clinical signs, or showed muscular tremors, falls, paddling, opistotonus, panting, and lateral recumbence after being induced to move, few minutes before death. Most cases were recorded between May and August. Nine cattle were necropsied and main gross findings were oral mucosa slightly cyanotic (3/9), mild to intermediate hydropericardium (3/9), epicardial petechiae and ecchymoses (5/9), clot within the left ventricle (4/9), lung edema (5/9), apart of abomasal and small intestinal reddened mucosa (6/9). Histologically, there was myocardial coagulation necrosis (9/9), which was characterized by cellular retraction, enhanced cytoplasmic eosinophilia, lack of cytoplasmic striations and occasional nuclear karyorrhexis and karyolysis. There also were interstitial edema (3/9) and interstitial inflammatory infiltrate (mainly mononuclear) (7/9) in the heart. Apart of multifocal vacuolar-hydropic degeneration in the epithelial cells of the distal convoluted tubules associated with pyknotic and eccentric nuclei in the kidneys of three cattle. The cardiac lesions of these cattle were demonstrated by immunohistochemistry for cardiac troponin C (cTnC). In the hearts of cattle intoxicated was severe reduction of the cTnC in the cytoplasm of cardiomyocytes groups with microscopic features of degeneration and necrosis, and in some areas with complete loss of immunoreactivity. Rare cardiac muscle fibers showed no histological abnormality loss of immune-marking. In the remaining cardiomyocytes in cattle poisoned histological lesions were absent, but an intense cytoplasmic staining in these cells was observed.