OBJECTIVETo investigate the syndrome property of myocardial ischemic (MI) model rats, and to objectively evaluate the blood stasis pattern related information in them.

METHODSSD rats were established to MI model by left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) ligation. Global physical signs observation, colorimetric analysis on images of auricle, plantar and tongue, as well as the hemorrheologic indices detection were conducted dynamically at various time points after modeling. LARS regression was subjected to calculate the correlation between the color and hemorrheologic indices.

RESULTSBoth colorimetric and hemorrheologic indices in MI rats were significantly different to those in sham-operated rats (control) on day 7-28 after operation, showing significant difference between them in terms of plantar R on day 7 (176.29 +/- 4.96 vs. 182.04 +/- 6.35, P < 0.05); R, G and B values of plantar on day 14, 21 and 28; G and R values of tongue on day 14 and G value of auricle on day 21 (130.38 +/- 7.52 vs. 138.02 +/- 9.32, P < 0.05), as well as B value of tongue on day 28 (93.70 +/- 4.79 vs. 85.80 +/- 6.60, P < 0.01). Results of hemorrheologic indices showed that hematocrit in MI rats was higher than that in control on day 14 and 28 (P < 0.05), it was even higher on day 21 (45.38 +/- 1.96 vs. 41.50 +/- 2.12, P < 0.01); and platelet aggregation rate (PAR) was significantly higher in MI on day 7 (49.35 +/- 6.74 vs. 37.83 +/- 9.94, P < 0.01) and day 14 (58.19 +/- 7.57 vs. 48.00 +/- 10.44, P < 0.05). Besides, various degree of changes could also be seen in whole blood apparent viscosity and reduced viscosity at different shear rate on day 7-28 in the model group. LARS regression showed there existed correlation of local colorimetric indices with levels of hematocrit and PAR.

CONCLUSIONMI model rat induced by LAD ligation can be diagnosed as the qi-deficiency and blood stasis syndrome, indications of the syndromes could be seen on 7-28 days after operation; the change of colorimetric indices of local images in MI rats might be related with their levels of hematocrit and PAR.