The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of oligomeric grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSP) on isoproterenol (ISO)-induced cardiac remodeling in rats. ISO was given subcutaneously (5 mg x kg(-1), sc, 7 days) to induce cardiac remodeling in rats. Therapeutic groups were given GSP (50, 100, and 150 mg x kg(-1)) after ISO treatment. After 2 weeks intervention, heart rate (HR), left ventricular systolic pressure (LVSP), left ventricular end-diastolic pressure (LVEDP), rate of rise of left ventricular pressure (+/- dp/dt(max)) were examined. The myocardial hypertrophy index was expressed as heart weight/body weight (HW/BW) and left ventricle weight/body weight (LVW/BW), the histological changes were investigated by HE and Van Gieson stain. SOD activity and MDA content in serum, contents of hydroxyproline (Hyp) in the left ventricular tissue were assayed by xanthinoxidase method, thiobarbituric acid (TBA) method and alkaline hydrolysis method, respectively. After the onset of ISO-treatment, GSP therapy potently improved cardiac function, inhibited myocardial hypertrophy, improved cardiac pathology change, decreased the myocardial cross-section area (CSA), collagen volume fraction (CVF) and perivascular circumferential collagen area (PVCA), reduced the content of Hyp in the left ventricular tissue, inhibited the decrease of SOD activity and increase of MDA content in serum. GSP possess protective effect against ISO induced cardiac remodeling in rats, this may be related to reducing the oxidative stress and improving antioxidant capacity.

Objective To evaluate the effect of therapeutic hypercapnia on the balance between cer-ebral O2supply and demand in the patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery in the beach chair posi-tion(BCP). Methods Forty-eight patients of both sexes, aged 21-64 yr, weighing 45-80 kg, of Ameri-can Society of Anesthesiologists physical statusⅠorⅡ, scheduled for elective arthroscopic shoulder surgery in the beach chair position, were divided into 2 groups(n=24 each)using a random number table: control group(group C, end-tidal pressure of carbon dioxide 35-40 mmHg)and therapeutic hypercapnia group (group H, end-tidal pressure of carbon dioxide 45-50 mmHg). The regional cerebral oxygen saturation (rSO2)was recorded after induction and before BCP, immediately after BCP, at 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 24, 27 and 30 min after BCP and at the end of surgery(T0-12). The occurrence of cerebral desaturation events, extubation time, duration of stay in postanesthesia care unit, development of nausea and vomiting and requirement for vasoactive drugs were recorded during surgery. Results Compared with the baseline at T0, the rSO2was significantly decreased at T1-12in group C and at T2-6in group H(P<005). The rSO2was significantly higher at T1-12, and the incidence of cerebral desaturation events was lower in group H than in group C(P<005). There was no significant difference between the two groups in the extubation time, dura-tion of stay in postanesthesia care unit, incidence of nausea and vomiting or requirement for vasoactive drugs (P>005). Conclusion Therapeutic hypercapnia can improve the balance between cerebral O2supply and demand in the patients undergoing arthroscopic shoulder surgery in the BCP.