Abstract
Summary
This study evaluates the correlation between renal structural alterations and renal functional impairment 24 hr after induction of oliguric acute renal failure in the rat by intramuscular glycerol injection. The major structural alterations were renal tubular epithelial cell necrosis and plugging of tubular lumens; these were graded as to severity in a blind fashion. Renal functional impairment was estimated by blood urea nitrogen (BUN) measurements. The rats were studied under conditions of varied dietary sodium content resulting in different levels of activity of the renin-angiotensin system which is known to be involved in the pathophysiology of this disorder. Renal structural alterations were severe in the low dietary sodium group, modest in the normal dietary sodium group and least in the high dietary sodium group. Renal functional impairment followed a similar pattern, BUN: low dietary sodium group 165 ± 21 mg%, normal dietary sodium group 75 ± 14 mg%, high dietary sodium group 43 ± 6 mg%. When conditions known to influence the severity of glycerol-induced oliguric acute renal failure were varied, a good correlation was observed between renal structural alterations and renal functional impairment.
This investigation was supported, in part, by USPHS Grant AM 15843 and by a grant from the Iowa Heart Association. Dr. Richards was supported by Veterans Administration Advanced Specialty Training Program TR-175. Dr. DiBona is a Veterans Administration Clinical Investigator.
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