Eplerenone treatment starting at inoculation significantly improved 28-day survival compared to control (35% vs. 15%, P<0.05) in a mouse model of viral myocarditis.
Does eplerenone improve survival and reduce cardiac remodeling in a mouse model of viral myocarditis?
Eplerenone improves survival and reduces myocardial fibrosis in a mouse model of viral myocarditis, suggesting beneficial anti-inflammatory and anti-remodeling effects.
Absolute Event Rate: 35% vs 15%
p-value: p=<0.05
AIMS: Inflammation contributes to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. The aim of this study was to investigate whether eplerenone, a selective aldosterone receptor antagonist, has anti-inflammatory effects on viral myocarditis. METHODS AND RESULTS: Four-week-old inbred male DBA/2 mice were inoculated intraperitoneally with 10 plaque-forming units (pfu) of the encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus. Mice were fed with standard chow (control) or with chow containing 2.5 mg/kg of eplerenone, starting either on day 0 (inoculation) or day 7. Survival at 28 days was significantly higher in the mice which started eplerenone treatment on day 0 (35 vs. 15% in controls, each n = 40, P < 0.05). The area of myocardial fibrosis on day 28 was significantly smaller in the eplerenone-treated mice than in controls (19.8 +/- 2.6%, n = 14, vs. 33.4 +/- 5.4%, n = 6, mean +/- SEM, P < 0.05). Gene expression of mouse mast cell proteases-4 and -5, matrix metalloproteinase-9, and type I procollagen on day 6 after EMC virus inoculation was significantly decreased in the hearts of eplerenone-treated mice. CONCLUSION: These results suggest that eplerenone has anti-inflammatory effects, and exerts its beneficial effects on viral myocarditis by suppression of genes related to mast cells and cardiac remodelling in the hearts of mice.
Xiao et al. (Thu,) conducted a other in Viral myocarditis (n=80). Eplerenone vs. Standard chow was evaluated on Survival at 28 days (p=<0.05). Eplerenone treatment starting at inoculation significantly improved 28-day survival compared to control (35% vs. 15%, P<0.05) in a mouse model of viral myocarditis.