title: Construction noise induces hypercoagulability and elevated plasma corticosteroids in rats.
abstract: Although animals housed for research purposes are strictly monitored for lighting, temperature, and humidity, the acoustic environment receives less attention. In a retrospective study, we investigated the effect of construction-induced noise on coagulation using thromboelastography in a group of healthy control rats. Animals were unintentionally exposed to noise due to construction in the vicinity of the animal care facility where these rats were housed. We compared the results to those of age-, gender-matched nonexposed rats. There was a significant shortening of the reaction (R) time (P = .009) and a trend toward an increase in coagulation index (CI; P = .09), indicating hypercoagulability. The short R time and increase in CI were correlated with an elevated plasma cortisol and corticosterone, indicating that the hypercoagulability seen in these rats is stress induced. Noise is a stress factor for which animals need to be monitored, particularly if those animals are selected as controls for hemostasis studies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Mazen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Toukh
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Sheila P
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Gordon
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical and Molecular Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada othman@queensu.ca.
authors.forename: Maha
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Othman
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001777:Blood Coagulation; D060389:Construction Industry; D003345:Corticosterone / Q000097:blood*; D005260:Female; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D009623:Noise, Occupational / Q000009:adverse effects*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D019851:Thrombophilia / Q000097:blood* / Q000209:etiology*
chemical_list: D003345:Corticosterone; D006854:Hydrocortisone
keywords: TEG in animals; endocrinology; hypercoagulability; thromboelastography; thrombosis