Obstructive Jaundice Depresses Arterial Baroreflex Sensitivity

We determined whether BRS in patients with obstructive jaundice, assessed by the Oxford pharmacological method, has been changed and got further animal experimental confirmation of influence produced by obstructive jaundice on baroreflex sensitivity and prepare for the future studies of mechanisms. The study related to mechanism had focused on increased opioidergic tone and NO-related mechanisms in the the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS) and the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). The results show that the baroreflex sensitivity is impaired in patients with obstructive jaundice and BDL rats. The autonomic nervous system dysfunction, indicated by reduced HRV, may be associated with impaired BRS. It also provides evidence for the involvement of increased opioidergic tone in cholestasis-induced BRS impairment. Additionally, decreased the number of nNOS-containing neurons in NTS and RVLM may contribute to impaired BRS.