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Journal of the American College of Nutrition, Vol. 18, No. 1, 51-60 (1999)
Published by the American College of Nutrition

Heart Murmurs, Valvular Regurgitation and Electrical Disturbances in Copper-Deficient Genetically Hypertensive, Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathic Rats

Laura Jeanne Shiry, MS, Denis M. Medeiros, PhD, John D. Bonagura, DVM and Sylvia A. McCune, PhD

Department of Human Nutrition and Food Management (L.J.S., D.M.M.), The Ohio State University, Columbus
Department of Food Science and Technology (S.A.V.), The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio
Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery (J.D.B.), Columbia University, Columbia, Missouri

Address reprint requests to: Denis M. Medeiros, PhD, Department of Human Nutrition and Food Management, 347 Campbell Hall, 1787 Neil Ave., The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210-1295

Objective: Rats with a genetic tendency to develop hypertensive, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy were fed copper-deficient diets and their cardiac responses were investigated.

Methods: Five male weanling rats of the Long-Evans and SHHF/Mcc-facp strains were randomly selected to receive diets containing either adequate quantities of copper (94.5 µmol Cu/kg diet) or reduced quantities of copper (<15.8 µmol Cu/kg diet) for 6 weeks, (n=5 within each group). Echocardiograms and electrocardiograms were recorded and analyzed at the end of the 6-week interval.

Results: Electrocardiograms from copper deficient groups showed longer Q-T intervals and increased QRS amplitudes than controls. Both the copper deficient and control SHHF groups demonstrated significant QRS complex prolongation compared to Long-Evans rats. Echocardiography analysis showed significant increases in left ventricular area, free wall dimension, and myocardial cross-sectional areas in rats fed a copper deficient diet. The frequency of systolic cardiac murmurs increased in copper deficient rats and were related to the presence of valvular regurgitation as determined from echocardiography.

Discussion: However, the data do not suggest that a copper-deficient diet fed to a strain of rats genetically susceptible to heart disease later in life, hastens or worsens the onset of cardiac disease. The genetic predisposition and copper-deficient states exert independent effects upon the heart.

Key words: cardiac hypertrophy, electrocardiogram, SHHF/Mcc-facp, cardiac murmurs, echocardiograms, valve regurgitation, copper-deficiency






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Copyright © 1999 by the American College of Nutrition.