Use of an Implantable Loop Recorder in a Chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) to Monitor Cardiac Arrhythmias and Assess the Effects of Acupuncture and Laser Therapy

摘要

Cardiovasculardiseaseisaleadingcauseofdeathincaptivechimpanzeesandisoftenassociatedwithmyocardialfibrosis,whichincreasestheriskofcardiacarrhythmias.Inthiscasereport,wepresenta36-y-oldmalechimpanzee(Pantroglodytes)diagnosedwithfrequentventricularprematurecomplexes(VPC).WeplacedasubcutaneousimplantablelooprecorderforcontinualECGmonitoringtoassesshisarrhythmiaswithouttheconfoundingeffectsofanesthetics.Duringhisinitialtreatmentwiththeantiarrhythmiamedicationamiodarone,hedevelopedthrombocytopenia,andthedrugwasdiscontinued.Afterreviewingotherpotentialtherapiesforthetreatmentofcardiacarrhythmias,weelectedtotryacupunctureandlasertherapyinviewofthepositiveresultsandthelackofadversesideeffectsreportedinhumans.Weused2well-knowncardiacacupuncturesitesonthewrist,PC6(pericardium6)andHT7(heart7),andevaluatedtheresultsofthetherapybyusingtheECGrecordingsfromtheimplantablelooprecorder.Althoughperiodicincreasesintheanimal'sexcitementlevelintroducedconfoundingvariablesthatcausedsomevariationinthedata,acupunctureandlasertherapyappearedtodecreasethemeannumberofVPC/mininthischimpanzee.