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Noninvasive model of sciatic nerve conduction in healthy and septic mice: Reliability and normative data
Author(s) -
Osuchowski Marcin F.,
Teener James,
Remick Daniel
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
muscle and nerve
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.025
H-Index - 145
eISSN - 1097-4598
pISSN - 0148-639X
DOI - 10.1002/mus.21284
Subject(s) - sciatic nerve , normative , medicine , nerve conduction , nerve conduction velocity , reliability (semiconductor) , anesthesia , neuroscience , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anatomy , psychology , physics , philosophy , power (physics) , epistemology , quantum mechanics
Neuromuscular disorders frequently complicate sepsis and other critical illnesses in patients. Mice are the major species used as a model for sepsis. Nerve conduction studies (NCS), the primary tool for noninvasive assessment of nerve and muscle function, is challenging to perform in small animals. A reliable method for noninvasive, repeated NCS testing has not been reported in mice. We developed and validated a method for the repeated measurement of mouse sciatic nerve conduction in normal and septic mice. Our sedated and awake NCS system enabled minimally invasive long‐term repeated measurements. The mean compound muscle action potential (CMAP) amplitude and latency were 17.4 mV and 1.11 ms, respectively ( n = 59). There was an excellent intertester reproducibility by linear regression in both normal ( r = 0.95) and septic ( r = 0.98) mice. We also showed significant, time‐dependent isoflurane‐induced CMAP suppression in all animals, which was further exacerbated in septic mice. This study provides a new tool for the assessment of peripheral nerve/muscle function in mouse neuromuscular disease models that require repeated, long‐term, and minimally invasive monitoring. Muscle Nerve, 2009