Intrarenal distribution of blood flow and renin in chronic congestive heart failure

Intrarenal distribution of blood flow was measured by the 133xenon washout curve in 33 patients with heart disease. Plasma renin activity and sodium concentration were also measured on the day when the xenon study was performed. The patients were divided into three groups according to cardiac index: Group I whose cardiac index showed higher than 3.50 1/min/M2, BSA, group II whose index ranged from 2.50 to 3.50, and group III who had lower than 2.50. Total renal blood flow was significantly decreased in group II (p less than 0.001), as compared with normal controls. The percents of the total renal blood flow supplied to component I decreased significantly in group I, II (p less than 0.05) and group III (p less than 0.01). The flow rate in component I decreased significantly only in group II (p less than 0.05) and group III (p less than 0.01). There was a significant increase in the percent distribution of component II in group II (p less than 0.05) and in group III (p less than 0.01). The flow rate of component II showed a slight increase in group I and III. The study of autoradiographs done in dogs with heart failure demonstrated that component I corresponded to a cortical area having a relatively faster flow rate, whereas component II corresponded to the cortical area which was perfused more slowly. Accordingly, component III indicated outer medulla. There was no apparent relation between intrarenal distribution of blood flow and plasma renin activity although the latter tended to be elevated in patients treated with diuretics. In view of the data available it was concluded that outer cortical as well as outer medullary blood flow are decreased in chronic congestive heart failure and that there is no apparent correlation between outer cortical flow and plasma renin activity.