J Am Assoc Lab Anim
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J Am Assoc Lab Anim · Mar 2012
Randomized Controlled TrialCombining sevoflurane anesthesia with fentanyl-midazolam or s-ketamine in laboratory mice.
Laboratory mice typically are anesthetized by either inhalation of volatile anesthetics or injection of drugs. Here we compared the acute and postanesthetic effects of combining both methods with standard inhalant monoanesthesia using sevoflurane in mice. After injection of fentanyl-midazolam or S-ketamine as premedication, a standard 50-min anesthesia was conducted by using sevoflurane. ⋯ Postanesthetic telemetric measurements showed unchanged locomotor activity but elevated heart rate and core body temperature at 12 h; these changes were most prominent during sevoflurane monoanesthesia and least pronounced or absent during fentanyl-midazolam-sevoflurane. In conclusion, combining injectable and inhalant anesthetics in mice can be advantageous compared with inhalation monoanesthesia at induction and postanesthetically. However, adverse physiologic side effects during anesthesia can be exacerbated by premedications, requiring careful selection of drugs and dosages.
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J Am Assoc Lab Anim · Mar 2012
Comparative StudyCarbon dioxide and oxygen levels in disposable individually ventilated cages after removal from mechanical ventilation.
Disposable individually ventilated cages have lids that restrict air exchange when the cage is not mechanically ventilated. This design feature may cause intracage CO2 to increase and O2 to decrease (hypercapnic and hypoxic conditions, respectively) when the electrical supply to the ventilated rack fails, the ventilated rack malfunctions, cages are docked in the rack incorrectly, or cages are removed from the ventilated rack for extended periods of time. We investigated how quickly hypercapnic and hypoxic conditions developed within disposable individually ventilated cages after removal from mechanical ventilation and compared the data with nondisposable static cages, disposable static cages, and unventilated nondisposable individually ventilated cages. ⋯ Changes were similar for 4 adult mice per cage, reaching at least 5% CO2 at 4 h and 13.0% O2 at 6 h. For 3 or 2 mice per cage, values were 4.6% CO2 and 14.7% O2 and 3.04% CO2 and 17.1% O2, respectively, at 6 h. These results document that within disposable individually ventilated cages, a hypercapnic and hypoxic microenvironment develops within hours in the absence of mechanical ventilation.
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J Am Assoc Lab Anim · Jan 2012
Validity of the modified richmond agitation-sedation scale for use in sedated, mechanically ventilated Swine.
A valid and reliable scale for assessing level of sedation would facilitate appropriate sedation management in a porcine intensive care unit (ICU) model. The Richmond Agitation-Sedation Scale (RASS) is used often for human ICU patients. The purpose of this study was to estimate the content validity of the modified RASS for use in sedated, mechanically ventilated swine. ⋯ The item CVI varied from 0.50 to 0.88; scale CVI was 0.66. Because these values did not meet the a priori criterion, we concluded that the modified RASS does not have sufficient evidence of content validity for use with swine. The reliability of the modified RASS will be tested in the porcine ICU model, and experience with its use in swine will inform refinement of the scale descriptors for repeat assessment of content validity.
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J Am Assoc Lab Anim · Jan 2012
Sedation or inhalant anesthesia before euthanasia with CO2 does not reduce behavioral or physiologic signs of pain and stress in mice.
CO(2) administration is a common euthanasia method for research mice, yet questions remain regarding whether CO(2) euthanasia is associated with pain and stress. Here we assessed whether premedication with acepromazine, midazolam, or anesthetic induction with isoflurane altered behavioral and physiologic parameters that may reflect pain or stress during CO(2) euthanasia. Mice were assigned to 1 of 6 euthanasia groups: CO(2) only at a flow rate of 1.2 L/min which displaces 20% of the cage volume per minute (V/min; control group); premedication with acepromazine (5 mg/kg), midazolam (5 mg/kg), or saline followed by 20% V/min CO(2); induction with 5% isoflurane followed by greater than 100% V/min CO(2) (>6L/min); and 100% V/min CO(2) only (6 L/min). ⋯ Compared with 20% V/min CO(2) alone, premedication with acepromazine or midazolam did not significantly alter behavior but did induce significantly higher c-fos expression in the brain. Furthermore, the use of isoflurane induction prior to CO(2) euthanasia significantly increased both behavioral and neuromolecular signs of stress. The data indicate that compared with other modalities, 20% V/min CO(2) alone resulted in the least evidence of stress in mice and therefore was the most humane euthanasia method identified in the current study.
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J Am Assoc Lab Anim · Jan 2012
Antinociceptive activities of lidocaine and the nav1.8 blocker a803467 in diabetic rats.
The streptozocin-induced diabetic rat is a model of chronic pain that shows signs of hyperalgesia and allodynia and may replicate signs in diabetic humans. Here we investigated the antinociceptive effects of A803467, a highly selective blocker of Nav1.8 channels, in diabetic rats with painful neuropathy. ⋯ Whereas the antihyperalgesic effects of lidocaine and A803467 were similar after intraplantar administration, A803467 (1 mg) was at least 2 times more effective as an antiallodynic than was lidocaine (0.5 mg). These results suggest that compared with lidocaine, systemic or local blockade of Nav1.8 channels by A803467 may more effectively relieve hyperalgesia and allodynia in diabetic neuropathy.