Background We hypothesized that the rate and amount of infarct collagen deposition during healing after myocardial infarction might influence ventricular remodeling in rat and dog models. The purpose of this study was to compare rates of infarct collagen deposition and ventricular remodeling in the two models.

Methods and Results Infarcted rat and dog hearts were removed at fixed time intervals between 1 and 50 days for measuring remodeling parameters and infarct and noninfarct collagen content (mg/g hydroxyproline). Collagen was less in sham rat (n=29) than dog (n=30) ventricles (3.32 versus 4.57 mg/g, P<.001) and markedly lower in the rat (n=48) than dog (n=59) infarcts throughout healing and by 50 days (9.98 versus 56.74 mg/g, P<.0001). Infarct collagen leveled off earlier and healing (histology) was completed sooner in the rat. Infarct scars were also thinner in the rat, with more (P<.0001) thinning and bulging (mm/g), and greater increase in ventricular volume. Although the mass to volume ratio decreased (P<.001) in both models, global remodeling was different, with greater transverse axis widening and globularity in the dog. Although infarct size, transmurality, heart rate, filling pressure, and blood pressure were greater in the rat, infarcts 10% to 30% in size in both models showed similar differences in infarct collagen and remodeling.

Conclusions Compared with dog infarcts, rat infarcts exhibited faster healing and infarct collagen deposition and markedly lower infarct collagen. In addition to larger, more transmural, and thinner infarcts, and greater hemodynamic load, the lower infarct collagen in that model might be an important factor in the greater regional remodeling.