Swine by the Plasma Clearance of Iohexol

There is no simple method to measure glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in swine, an 15 established model to study renal disease. We developed a protocol to measure GFR in conscious 16 swine with the plasma clearance of iohexol. We used two groups: testing and validation, of 8 17 animals each. Ten milliliters of iohexol (6.47 g) were injected by the marginal auricular vein and 18 blood samples (3 ml) were collected from the orbital sinus at different points after injection. GFR 19 was determined considering two models: two-compartments (CL2: all samples) and one20 compartment (CL1: the last six samples). In the testing group, CL1 overestimated CL2 by ~30%: 21 CL2=245±93 and CL1=308±123 ml/mn. This error was corrected by a first order polynomial quadratic 22 equation to CL1, which was considered the simplified method: SM=-47.909+(1.176xCL1)– 23 (0.00063968xCL12). SM showed narrow limits of agreement with CL2, and a concordance correlation 24 of 0.97 and a total deviation index of 14.73%. Similar results were obtained for the validation group. 25 This protocol is reliable, reproducible, can be performed in conscious animals, uses a single dose of 26 the marker, and requires a reduced number of samples avoiding urine collection. Finally, it portends 27 a significant improvement in animal-welfare conditions and handling necessities in experimental 28 trials. 29