An animal model of septicemia-induced hypercatabolic acute renal failure

A rat model of hypercatabolic acute renal failure (ARF) was developed in order to further investigate the mechanism of this condition. Sprague Dawley rats were separated into three groups: a septicemic group, an ischemic ARF group, and a hypercatabolic ARF group. Septicemia was produced by the i.p. injection of 1 x 10(7) colony-forming units/mL of Escherichia coli. Ischemic ARF was induced by 60 minutes clamping of the left renal artery following a contralateral nephrectomy. Hypercatabolic ARF was produced by combining ischemic ARF with the i.p. injection of 1 x 10(7) colony-forming units/mL of Escherichia coli. The hypercatabolic ARF group exhibited septic clinical features after the surgical procedures. The blood urea nitrogen and the serum creatinine, potassium and carbon dioxide combining power of hypercatabolic ARF were significantly higher than other two groups 24 hours after surgery. In addition, the rats wit hypercatabolic ARF had a greater loss of body weight and a higher mortality rate compared to the other two groups. The features of this form of experimental ARF are similar to the clinical characteristics of hypercatabolic ARF. Consequently, this appears to be a useful model of hypercatabolic ARF.