The Daily Pattern of Cardiovascular Parameters in Kurosawa and Kusanagi-Hypercholesterolemic (KHC) Rabbits

We studied characteristics of the daily pattern of heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP), body temperature (BT), and locomotor activity (LA) in conscious and unrestrained Kurosawa and Kusanagi-Hypercholesterolemic (KHC) rabbits and age-matched normal Japanese white (JW) rabbits, using a telemetry system. In all JW rabbits, nocturnal patterns were observed in HR, BT and LA. In the 5 months group of KHC rabbits, however, diurnal rhythm was observed in HR, and in the 10 months group of KHC rabbits, it was also shown in LA. The nocturnal pattern was observed only in BT in 10 months KHC rabbits. Mean blood pressure (MBP) in JW and KHC rabbits showed no clear daily pattern. The mean daily values of HR and BT were not altered between the 5 months and 10 months groups in KHC rabbits, although those in JW were lower in the 10 months group than in the 5 months group. Moreover, the daily values of HR and MBP in KHC rabbits tended to be higher than those in the age-matched JW rabbits. The pulse pressure in the 10 months group of KHC rabbits tended to be greater than the 5 months groups of KHC and JW rabbits. Furthermore, short-term variabilities in BP in the 5 months KHC rabbits were significantly lower than those in the other groups. From these results, it is suggested that the cardiovascular function, including the autonomic nervous function is altered with the development of atherosclerosis in KHC rabbits.