ORIGINAL RESEARCH

 

The Brody effect induced by premature ventricular complexes in the ovine heart

 

 

J. Ker^I; E.C. Webb^II; D. van Papendorp^I

^IDepartment of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Pretoria, South Africa
^IIDepartment of Animal and Wildlife Sciences, Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences, University of Pretoria, South Africa

 

 

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ABSTRACT

The QRS response of the electrocardiogram to bleeding has been a source of interest to the physiologist for more than a century. Studies in the dog, cat and chicken have shown a reduction in QRS amplitude in response to bleeding. This effect has been explained by the so-called Brody effect, in which the intraventricular mass of blood acts as a conducting medium, augmenting radial conduction, thus resulting in the subsequent reduction in QRS amplitude in conditions where the intraventricular mass of blood is reduced.
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the Brody effect will be present in the ovine heart and, furthermore, to evaluate if the right and left ventricles will demonstrate the same QRS change if the Brody effect is indeed present. This study clearly demonstrated that the Brody effect is present in the ovine heart. Furthermore, two unique aspects emanating from this study are firstly the fact that this is the first study to show that premature ventricular complexes are able to induce the Brody effect and, secondly that there is a very clear difference in the response of the right and the left ventricles when the Brody effect is induced in the ovine heart.

Keywords: Brody effect; ovine heart; QRS amplitude; premature ventricular complex

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Accepted for publication 16 April 2009-Editor

 

 

* Author to whom correspondence is to be directed. E-mail: jker@wol.co.za