From: Method parameters’ impact on mortality and variability in rat stroke experiments: a meta-analysis
Factor/Outcome measure | Data type | Final categories* or unit | Reference category for regression analyses |
---|---|---|---|
Rat property factors | |||
Strain | Category | I. Sprague Dawley | Sprague Dawley |
II. Wistar | |||
III. SHR | |||
IV. WKY | |||
V. Other strains | |||
Sex | Category | I. Male | Male |
II. Female | |||
III. Ovx female | |||
IV. Mix or not specified | |||
Elderly rats ** | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Weight | Continuous | Grams | NA |
Animal exclusion rate | Continuous | % | NA |
Anesthesia factors | |||
Type of anesthetic | Category | I. Inhalation anesthetic | Inhalation anesthetic |
II. Chloral hydrate | |||
III. Ketamine | |||
IV. Barbiturates and benzodiazepines | |||
V. Other anesthetics | |||
Intubation | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Awakening of rats during occlusion | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Temperature feedback system | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Electroencephalographic surveillance | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Blood pressure monitored | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Heart rate monitored | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Blood gases/O 2 saturation analyzed | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Blood hemoglobin concentration analyzed | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Blood glucose concentration analyzed | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Postoperative antibiotics | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Focal ischemia procedure factors | |||
Type of middle cerebral artery occlusion procedure | Category | I. Intraluminal filament | Intraluminal filament |
II. Direct, mechanical*** | |||
III. Embolic | |||
IV. Photothrombotic | |||
V. Endothelin injection | |||
Occlusion duration**** | Category | I. Short transient (up to 60Â minutes) | Short transient (up to 60Â minutes) |
II. Long transient (>60Â min) | |||
III. Permanent | |||
Occluding filament type (Only studies using the intraluminal filament method) | Category | I. Uncoated | Uncoated |
II. Silicon coated | |||
III. Poly-L-Lysine coated | |||
IV. Other coatings | |||
Analysis procedure factors | |||
Time after focal ischemia for evaluation of damage | Continuous | Hours | NA |
Type of infarct size evaluation | Category | I. TTC | TTC |
II. Radiology | |||
III. Acidic/Basic stain or silver stain histology | |||
IV. Immunohistology | |||
Edema correction used | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Blinding of infarct size determination procedure | Category, Binomial | [No] | [No] |
[Yes] | |||
Criteria for excluding rats | Category | I. None | None |
II. Observed absence of cerebral blood flow reduction | |||
III. Lack of functional deficit | |||
IV. Too small infarct | |||
V. Other pathology in animal | |||
Outcome measures | |||
Infarct size coefficient of variation | Continuous | % | NA |
Mortality rate | Continuous | % | NA |