This study was undertaken to clarify the effects of glucocorticosteroids on intraocular pressure and the combined effects of acetazolamide and glucocorticosteroid on ocular pressure. Male and female rabbits, weighing 1.7-2.2kg, were divided into 5 groups: 1) saline-treated group, 2) hydrocortisone (0.5 %)-treated group, 3) prednisolone (0.5 %)-treated group, 4) fludrocortisone (0.1% )-treated group, 5) dexamethasone (0.1% )-treated group. Drugs were instilled 4 times a day for 3 weeks, and ocular pressure was checked in each group on second and third week. Following 3 weeks instillation of glucocorticoids, ocular pressure was checked in each animal at 15, 30, 60, and 120 minutes after intravenous administration of acetazolamide (10mg/kg). Under 0.5% tetracaine anesthesia, facility of outflow and flow rate of the aqueous humor were also measured with a tonometer. The results of the experiments were as follows: 1) The mean ocular pressure rose significantly in all glucocorticoid-treated groups, and the rise was especially marked in the dexamethasone-treated group. 2) The mean facility of outflow of the aqueous humor decreased significantly in the dexamethasonetreated group, but it remained with little change in the other glucocorticoidtreated group. 3) The ocular pressure-lowering action of acetazolamide was suppressed significantly at 30 minutes after the treatment with acetazolamide in the hydrocortisone and prednisolonetreated groups, but it was not suppressed in the fludrocortisone and the dexamethasonetreated groups. 4) The flow rate of the aqueous humor was suppressed significantly (36.2 %) at 30 minutes after the treatment with acetazolamide in the control group, but it was not suppressed significantly in g]ucocorticoid-treated groups.
Acetazolamide* ; Administration, Intravenous ; Adrenal Cortex Hormones* ; Anesthesia ; Animals ; Aqueous Humor ; Dexamethasone ; Female ; Fludrocortisone ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans ; Hydrocortisone ; Intraocular Pressure* ; Male ; Prednisolone ; Rabbits ; Tetracaine

Purpose: The aim of this study is to demonstrate the association between recurrent atrial fibrillation (AF) and left ventricular (LV) adverse remodeling after catheter ablation and to evaluate the change of myocardial extracellular volume fraction (ECV) by catheter ablation outcomes. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively recruited 60 patients (44 men and 16 women) with a median age of 57 years (range, 32–78 years) who underwent cardiac MRI before and at 6–12 months after catheter ablation of AF. Cardiac MRI quantified myocardial ECV (%) in the left ventricle. Depending on myocardial ECV after catheter ablation, patients were divided into two groups: 1) LV adverse remodeling with ECV ≥ 28%; and 2) no adverse LV remodeling with ECV < 28%. Multivariable analysis was performed to assess the association between recurrent AF and LV remodeling. Results: Of 60 patients, 21 (35%) were in the LV adverse remodeling group (mean ECV ± standard deviation [SD]: 29.8% ± 1.4%) and 39 (65%) were in the no adverse LV remodeling group (mean ECV ± SD: 24.7% ± 1.5%). The incidence of recurrent AF was significantly greater in the LV adverse remodeling group than in the no adverse LV remodeling group (81% vs. 13%, p < 0.001). In patients with recurrent AF, mean myocardial ECV significantly increased from 27.7% ± 2.3% to 29.2% ± 2.3% (p = 0.004) after catheter ablation. In a multivariable analysis after adjusting sex, age, and myocardial ECV before catheter ablation, recurrent AF was independently associated with LV adverse remodeling after catheter ablation (odds ratio: 28.9, 95% confidence interval: 6.8–121.7, p < 0.001). Conclusion When monitoring with cardiac MRI, sustained AF was significantly associated with LV adverse remodeling through an increase in myocardial ECV after catheter ablation of AF.