title: A noninvasive computerized tail-cuff system for measuring blood pressure in mice.
abstract: We have validated a noninvasive computerized tail-cuff system for measuring blood pressure in mice. The system was designed to perform all functions automatically, including a programmable routine of cuff inflation and deflation, analysis and assignment of pulse rate and blood pressure, and recording of data electronically. To evaluate this system over a range of blood pressures, we gave groups of mice enalapril or NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester in their drinking water. For each of these groups, an equal number of control mice were given nothing in their drinking water. Tail-cuff blood pressures were recorded as the means of blood pressures determined on at least 3 days after at least 7 days of training. Tail-cuff enalapril and control group means were measured both 3 and 4 months after enalapril (or no drug) was begun; the group means at 3 months were not significantly different from the group means at 4 months. These results demonstrate that the system gives reproducible results. After the tail-cuff measurements were completed, intra-arterial blood pressures were attempted in all mice under unrestrained, unanesthetized conditions, and individual mouse (n = 22) blood pressures with the use of the two methods were compared. The blood pressures from individual mice by tail-cuff and intra-arterial methods were highly correlated (r = .86, P < .01). The means for the four mouse groups were also highly correlated (r = .98, P < .02).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill 27599, USA.
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Krege
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Hodgin
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hagaman
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Smithies
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008810:Mice, Inbred C57BL; D015203:Reproducibility of Results