EFFECT OF INTERMITTENT NOISE EXPOSURE ON THE RATE OF WOUND HEALING IN ALBINO RATS (IMAGE PROCESSING, BIOACOUSTICS).
Contributors: University of Texas at Austin.
Published: 1986
Number of pages: 180
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Biophysics, Medical.
Description: Physiological effects of noise have been identified which have implications for delayed wound healing. Specifically noise causes vasoconstriction, a rise in the plasma concentration of corticosterone in rats and of 17-hydroxycorticosteroids and cortisone in man, and has been identified as a primary factor contributing to sleep disturbance and deprivation in hospitalized patients. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of intermittent noise exposure on wound healing.

Using a repeated measures factorial design, 40 male and female, outbred, albino Sprague-Dawley rats of the same age comprised the control (n = 21) and treated (n = 19) group. At the time of wounding all subjects were 47 days old and weighed between 176.4 and 291.9 grams.

Two weeks prior to wounding all subjects were depilated with a barium sulfide containing paste to control for the hair growth cycle found in rodents. This resulted in the achievement of a uniform skin thickness. All animals were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital (30-40 mg/Kg) and received a 2.5 cm x 2.5 cm square excisional wound on the back such that the iliac crests defined the caudal wound edge. The panniculous carnosus was left intact. The noise treatment consisted of broad band noise ranging from about 2KHz to 16KHz. At a frequency of 8KHz the sound pressure level was 85dB. The noise was played for 15 minutes out of each hour, 24 hours per day for 19.5 days.

Wound healing data was collected at the time of wounding and every other day using a 35mm film camera equipped with a 55mm microlens and extension tube. To obtain a measure of healing over time the resulting film images were then digitized, image processed and analyzed using a microcomputer equipped with a 10 megabyte hard disk drive and digitizing board which was interfaced to a video camera and moniter. Reliability and validity of the image processing procedure was established as a part of the study.

Statistical analysis of the data using repeated measures analysis of variance revealed a group difference (F = 12.64, p > 0.0012) and a group x time difference (F = 11.69, p > 0.0001). No significant difference was found between males and females. Implication of the findings are restricted to the population under study.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 47-05, Section: B, page: 1933.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS AT AUSTIN, 1986.

School code: 0227.