Yemlihan CEYLAN, Fatma Ayaz YALINKILIÇ
Eastern Journal of Medicine (EJM) - 2026;31(3):527-533
Post -cardiac arrest myocardial injury is an important component of post -cardiac arrest syndrome and is associated with global ischemia -reperfusion, endothelial dysfu nction, oxidative stress, and inflammatory activation. Interleukin -1 blockade may modulate ischemia -reperfusion injury; however, its histopathological effects on myocardial tissue after cardiac arrest remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the effect s of anakinra on early myocardial histopathological changes in a rat model of asphyxia -induced cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Twenty -four male Wistar Albino rats were randomly divided into three groups: control, sham, and anakinra groups , with eight rats in each group. Cardiac arrest and cardiopulmonary resuscitation were performed in the sham and anakinra groups. After resuscitation, the sham group received intraperitoneal 0.9% NaCl, whereas the anakinra group received intraperitoneal an akinra at a dose of 50 mg/kg. Cardiac tissues were collected at the sixth minute after intervention and examined histopathologically. Myocardial fiber disorganization, interstitial edema, congestion, and polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration were graded semi -quantitatively. Myocardial fiber disorganization, interstitial edema, and congestion differed significantly among the groups. Compared with the sham group, anakinra significantly reduced myocardial congestion scores (p = 0.015). However, it did not significantly improve myocardial fiber disorganization or interstitial edema. Polymorphonuclear leukocyte infiltration was not observed at the early post -resuscitation time point examined in any group. Anakinra sign ificantly attenuated myocardial congestion in the early period after asphyxia -induced cardiac arrest and resuscitation, suggesting a selective effect on the microvascular component of post -resuscitation myocardial injury.
