Chronic local cold stress to the soles induces hypertension in rats

The purpose of this study was to determine whether cold-stress stimulation to the soles of paws produces continuous hypertension in rats, Wistar-Kyoto rats were kept in cages with a 0 degrees C floor and 23 degrees C room temperature (cold-stressed group, n = 10) or in cages with 23 degrees C floor and 23 degrees C room temperature (control group, n = 10), BP and levels of plasma catecholamines, serum glucose, and serum insulin were measured, and the histologic characteristics of the kidney and adrenal gland were studied in all groups. After a week of localized cold-stress, BP of the experimental rats were significantly increased over those of: the control rats. Significant increases were also seen in plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine, as well as serum insulin concentrations in the rats that underwent localized cold stimulation; these changes were not observed in the control rats. Fibrinoid deposition in the kidney and the intensity of neuropeptide Y-staining in the adrenal medulla were increased in the localized cold-stressed group compared with the control group. We conclude that chronic local cold stimulation to the soles is a new model of experimental hypertension. (C) 1999 American Journal of Hypertension, Ltd.