BACKGROUND: Carbon dioxide (CO(2)) baths have been used to treat a variety of diseases, but developing an artificial bath of highly concentrated CO(2) is difficult. Here, we tried the efficacy of a novel device instead of a CO(2) bath. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a device equipped with double fluid nozzles, CO(2) gas and H(2)O were compounded and compressed at 4 barometric pressures. As a result, CO(2) gas was dissolved in H(2)O, which contained a few micrometers of CO(2) particles, namely, a CO(2) mist. Wistar rats with myocardial infarction (MI) by ligation of the left coronary artery were percutaneously administered CO(2) mist or CO(2) gas alone or no treatment for 30 min daily. With regard to tissue blood flow during treatment, the group treated with CO(2) mist had significantly increased tissue oxygenated hemoglobin levels and tissue saturation levels, and significantly decreased deoxygenated hemoglobin levels compared with the group treated with CO(2) gas. After 4 weeks treatment, the group treated with CO(2) mist had a significantly improved ejection fraction by echocardiography compared with the untreated group. Interestingly, the group treated with CO(2) mist had significantly increased nitrate concentrations in serum and vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression levels in the myocardium compared with the untreated group. CONCLUSIONS: Our new mist production device may be potentially useful for the treatment of heart failure caused by MI.
BACKGROUND:Carbon dioxide (CO(2)) baths have been used to treat a variety of diseases, but developing an artificial bath of highly concentrated CO(2) is difficult. Here, we tried the efficacy of a novel device instead of a CO(2) bath. METHODS AND RESULTS: Using a device equipped with double fluid nozzles, CO(2) gas and H(2)O were compounded and compressed at 4 barometric pressures. As a result, CO(2) gas was dissolved in H(2)O, which contained a few micrometers of CO(2) particles, namely, a CO(2) mist. Wistar rats with myocardial infarction (MI) by ligation of the left coronary artery were percutaneously administered CO(2) mist or CO(2) gas alone or no treatment for 30 min daily. With regard to tissue blood flow during treatment, the group treated with CO(2) mist had significantly increased tissue oxygenated hemoglobin levels and tissue saturation levels, and significantly decreased deoxygenated hemoglobin levels compared with the group treated with CO(2) gas. After 4 weeks treatment, the group treated with CO(2) mist had a significantly improved ejection fraction by echocardiography compared with the untreated group. Interestingly, the group treated with CO(2) mist had significantly increased nitrate concentrations in serum and vascular endothelial growth factor mRNA expression levels in the myocardium compared with the untreated group. CONCLUSIONS: Our new mist production device may be potentially useful for the treatment of heart failure caused by MI.