Metabolic disorder in myocardiac intracellular free calcium after thermal injury

Cutaneous burn trauma causes functional inhibition of the heart, but the mechanism is unclear. Using a high dissociation constant ( K D) calcium indicator TF-BAPTA and 19F MR spectroscopy, the relationship between the changes of cytosolic free calcium and cardiac function after burn trauma was examined. Sprague–Dawley rats received scald (43% TBSA) or sham burns. Twenty-four hours later, the hearts were excised and perfused by the Langendorff method with a modified phosphate-free Krebs–Henseleit bicarbonate buffer. Left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) was recorded through a catheter attached to an intraventricular balloon. At the same time, 31P and 19F nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was perforined before and after TF-BAPTA loading. LVDP of the heart from burned rats was 40% less than in sham burn rats (65±6 vs 110±12 mmHg, P