Experimental control for the spontaneously hypertensive rat: Wistar or Wistar Kyoto? A systematic review and meta-analysis

This study aimed to carry out a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies that measured the blood pressure (BP) and body mass (BM) of the Wistar (WIS), Wistar Kyoto (WKY) and spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHR) strains. The methods followed the criteria established by the PRISMA guidelines. A systematic search in PubMed, Web of Science and EMBASE was performed. After analysis, 83 studies were included for systematic review, and of those, 74 were applicable for BP meta-analysis and 39 for BM meta-analysis. The SHR had higher BP compared to control strains, while WKY had higher systolic BP compared to WIS. The WIS are heavier, followed by the WKY and the SHR. The WIS and WKY strains exhibit similarities and differences, and the choice of the strain to be used as the SHR control requires a deep analysis. However, our results support this theory that both strains can be used as SHR controls.