Cerebrospinal fluid pressure in conscious rats during prostaglandin E1 fever

Intraperitoneal body temperature was monitored from groups of 10 conscious adult male Wistar rats. The daily body temperature rhythm was determined, and an intraperitoneal body temperature dose response relationship was established for prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) delivered into a lateral cerebral ventricle (LCV). Cerebrospinal fluid pressure was measured by direct cannulation of a LCV. Heart rate, arterial and central venous blood pressure, and blood gases were also measured in groups of 10 animals. It was found that there was a daily rhythm in intraperitoneal body temperature that was higher at night than during the day but stable between 0800 and 1600 h. A significant temperature dose (20-2,000 ng)-response relationship was established for administration of PGE1 into the LCV. Cerebrospinal fluid pressure when measured from the LCV increased significantly during the "chill" phase of the PGE1-induced fever. Carotid arterial blood pressure also significantly increased at this time as did central venous pressure, particularly so with vigorous shivering. There was a significant fall in arterial CO2 partial pressure, a slight rise in pH, and no change in arterial O2 partial pressure. These data support the hypothesis that a significant increase in cerebrospinal fluid pressure occurs during the chill phase of a PGE1-induced fever in the conscious rat.