Influence of hypothyroidism and the reversal of hypothyroidism on hemodynamics and cell size in the adult rat heart.

Hypothyroid-induced atrophy of cardiac myocytes was examined in adult female rats in an effort to correlate hemodynamic and cellular changes associated with this disorder. Additional rats were studied 6 weeks after discontinuing antithyroid treatment to determine if structural and functional changes were completely reversible. To induce hypothyroidism, rats were injected daily with propylthiouracil (PTU) for 4 weeks. Control animals were injected similarly with Tris buffer. At the end of the treatment period, hemodynamic measurements were made prior to obtaining isolated myocytes. Cell volume, length, and cross-sectional area were obtained from the septum, and left and right ventricles of treated and untreated rats. After four weeks treatment with PTU, body weight was unchanged but heart weight was significantly reduced by 24%. Characteristic hemodynamic changes associated with hypothyroidism in the rat were noted (eg. reduced heart rate, cardiac output, dP/dtmax, and ventricular pressure). Cell volume was significantly smaller in hypothyroid rats primarily due to a reduction in myocyte cross-sectional area. The hemodynamic and cellular response to hypothyroidism was similar in the right and left ventricle. Six weeks after discontinuing PTU treatment, cellular and hemodynamics changes had returned to normal. It was concluded that hypothyroidism caused a true cardiac atrophy which was reversible. Reduced myocyte cross-sectional area was responsible for most of the myocyte atrophy.