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Updated: Jul 2, 2026

Evaluation of Respiratory System Mechanics in Mice using the Forced Oscillation Technique
Published on: May 15, 2013
Repeated measurements of respiratory mechanics in developing rats utilizing a forced oscillation technique
Mark J Heulitt1, Stacie M Jones, Shirley J Holt
1Section of Critical Care Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Physiology and Biophysics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences College of Medicine, Little Rock, Arkansas, USA. heulittmarkj@uams.edu
Abstract:
The ability to successfully intubate the trachea of rats repeatedly over time, recover them, and perform repeated measures of changes in respiratory mechanics is important. The authors performed experiments utilizing 2 groups of rats at various ages in their development. Rats in the single-measurement group were studied at 1 age only. Rats in the repeated-measurement group were studied at each age point over time. Measurements of respiratory mechanics were made utilizing a forced-oscillation technique. We found no differences in respiratory mechanics between the 2 groups. Our results demonstrate that developing rats can be studied longitudinally to illustrate maturational changes in respiratory mechanics.
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