% 0期刊文章% van Albada, m . e . % du马克hie Sarvaas, G. J. %A Koster, J. %A Houwertjes, M. C. %A Berger, R. M. F. %A Schoemaker, R. G. %T Effects of erythropoietin on advanced pulmonary vascular remodelling %D 2008 %R 10.1183/09031936.00035607 %J European Respiratory Journal %P 126-134 %V 31 %N 1 %X Erythropoietin (EPO) mobilises endothelial progenitor cells and promotes neovascularisation in heart failure. The present authors studied the effects of EPO on pulmonary vascular and cardiac remodelling in a model for flow-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH was induced in adult male Wistar rats by the injection of monocrotaline combined with an abdominal aortocaval shunt 1 week later (PAH or experimental group). Immediately afterwards, rats were randomised into those who received treatment with EPO (PAH+EPO group) and controls. Pulmonary and systemic haemodynamics, and right ventricular and pulmonary vascular remodelling were evaluated 3 weeks later. Vascular occlusion of the intra-acinar pulmonary vessels (13.4±0.7 versus 16.7±1.3% in PAH+EPO and PAH, respectively) and medial wall thickness of the pre-acinar arteries (wall-to-lumen ratio 0.13±0.01 versus 0.17±0.01 in PAH+EPO and PAH, respectively) decreased after treatment with EPO. Moreover, right ventricular capillary density was increased by therapy (2,322±61 versus 2,100±63 capillaries·mm−2 in PAH+EPO and PAH, respectively). Increased mean pulmonary arterial pressure and decreased right ventricular contractility in the model were not altered by EPO treatment. In this rat model of flow-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension, erythropoietin treatment beneficially affected pulmonary vascular and cardiac remodelling. These histopathological effects were not accompanied by significantly improved haemodynamics. %U //www.qdcxjkg.com/content/erj/31/1/126.full.pdf