Objective: To evaluate the hemodynamic effects and cardiac troponin I (cTn I), creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), myoglobin (Mb) releasing kinetics of acute experimental pulmonary embolism of pigs.
Methods: Sixteen juvenile pigs, of either gender and weighing 30 to 40 kg were studied, 8 in the embolism group and 8 in the control group. The 8 embolism animals received 0.1 g/kg polystyrene beads (diameter range 0.65 to 0.67 mm) suspended in 0.9% saline by venous injection. Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP), systemic arterial pressure (SAP), pulmonary capillary wedged pressure (PCWP), cardiac output (CO), blood gases and serum cTn I, CK-MB, and Mb were measured before and immediately, 30 min, 1 hour, 2 hour, and 3 hour after acute pulmonary embolism.
Results: PAP was increased to 2 - 3 fold of the baseline and the control level immediately, and then decreased to the baseline level in 2 to 3 hours. Serum cTn I and Mb increased significantly after embolism and remained at a higher level through the 3 hour experimental procedure. The CK-MB was not changed after acute pulmonary embolism.
Conclusions: Acute pulmonary embolism caused lung gas exchange abnormality and acute pulmonary hypertension. The hemodynamic effects of acute pulmonary embolism include injury to the myocardial cells and releasing of cTn I and Mb to blood stream. cTn I can be detected in the early phase of acute pulmonary embolism, and maybe a useful marker in diagnosis and management of acute pulmonary embolism.