The Role of the Body Mass: Body Surface Ratio in Thermoregulatory Responses to Cold, Hypoxia, and Hypercapnia in New-Born, Adult, and Aged Guinea Pigs

Abstract

The relationship between body weight (BW) and the changes in colonic temperature (ΔTc) was analyzed in newborn, adult, and old guinea pigs. No correlation could be demonstrated between BW and, ΔTc in response to cold with the exception of the 10 to 20 day-old group. In hypercapnia statistically significant or almost significant coefficient were obtained in three groups, showing — as expected — that the fall in Tc tended to decrease with increasing BW. In hypoxia a statistically significant coefficient was obtained in the young adult group, demonstrating that — contrary to expectation — the fall in Tc tended to be greater with increasing BW.