The Factors Affecting the Reference Data Regarding Sodium, Potassium and Calcium in Rats

Abstract

We investigated the factors affecting sodium, potassium, and calcium values in rat blood in order to determine the standard clinical chemistry parameters in the non-clinical toxicology field. The data were collected from rats used as negative controls in non-clinical toxicity studies conducted by a laboratories. The data regarding sodium and calcium showed an extremely small coefficient of variation and no evident factor that might affect their measurement was found. It was considered that anesthesia and anticoagulants might influence the values of potassium. It is important to separate serum from blood as soon as possible after coagulation when using serum and to minimize damage to the orbital venous plexus when sampling blood from it.