title: Effects of electrical stimulation on edema formation in different strains of rats.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although electrical stimulation (ES) is commonly used to curb edema formation, efficacy has been demonstrated in only one species of frog and one strain of rat. The purpose of this study was to determine whether different strains of rats respond differently to ES.
  
  
  METHODS
  Feet of Sprague-Dawley, Zucker-Lean, and Brown Norway rats were injured in a uniform manner. One foot served as a control, and the other foot received four 30-minute exposures to cathodal high-voltage pulsed current at amplitudes 10% less than those required to induce visible muscle activity. Each treatment period was followed by a 30-minute rest period. Limb volumes were measured before and after trauma and after each treatment and rest period. Changes from pretrauma volumes were analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Edema formation was curbed in Zucker-Lean and Brown Norway rats but not in Sprague-Dawley rats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The finding that two of the three strains of rats responded to ES suggests that some strains of rats may be suitable models for the study of edema. That frogs and rats respond to high-voltage pulsed current suggests that humans might respond similarly.
authors.affiliation: Rehabilitation and Research Center, Medical College of Virginia Hospitals, Richmond, USA.
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Thornton
authors.forename: F C
authors.initials: FC
authors.lastname: Mendel
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Fish
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004487:Edema / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005534:Foot Diseases / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D018409:Foot Injuries / Q000150:complications; D011898:Ranidae; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D011924:Rats, Zucker