Determination of metabolic and heart rate responses of rats to treadmill exercise

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Abstract
A rapid-flow, open-circuit, indirect calorimeter was developed and used to study metabolic rates of rats at rest and in response to 3 running speeds (14.3, 28.7 and 43.1 m/min) and 5 grades (1, 5, 10, 15 and 20). ECG connections were available in the apparatus for simultaneous determination of heart rate (fH). Validity of the calorimeter was established by observing responses to the addition of mixed gases including 14CO2, and by comparing O2 consumptions when anesthetized rats were placed in the open- or a closed-circuit system. Half-response time of the system was 27 .+-. 3 s (mean .+-. SE). With 1 rat in each system values for O2 consumption (.ovrhdot.VO2) were 15.86 .+-. 0.91 and 15.77 .+-. 0.90 ml/kg per min for the open and closed systems, respectively. Highest .ovrhdot.VO2 values observed were 80.86 .+-. 2.48 ml/kg per min for rats running at 43.1 m/min on a 20% grade. The corresponding heart rates were 595 .+-. 5 beats/min. Correlations between .ovrhdot.VO2 and running speed ranged from 0.83 on 1% and 15% grades, to 0.90 on a 10% grade. Correlations between fH and speed ranged from 0.70 on a 1% grade to 0.79 on a 10% grade. Steady-rate values for .ovrhdot.VO2 and .ovrhdot.VCO2 were 51.1 and 45.3 ml/kg per min during running at 14.3 m/min on 1% grade, and 69.0 and 65.1 ml/kg per min during running at 28.7 m/min on 15% grade.

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