[The influence of anesthesia methods on renal function in patients without symptoms of nephropathy]

The aim of this study was to assess the influence of some anaesthesia methods on renal function in patients with no clinical and laboratory symptoms of nephropathy. The activity of various parts of the nephron was evaluated on the basis of the urinary excretion of albumins (marker of renal glomeruli function), beta-2-microglobulins (marker of proximal tubule function) and Tamm-Horsfall protein (marker of distal tubule function). 45 patients were divided into three groups, basing on the kind of anaesthesia: "O"--general, "P"--spinal and "N"--local. The patients who were routinely found to have no signs of nephropathy showed no dysfunction of renal glomeruli and distal or proximal tubule as determined by the urinary excretion of albumins, Tamm-Horsfall protein and beta-2-microglobulins prior to the operation. Different anaesthesia techniques had no effect on the urinary excretion of beta-2-microglobulins. In contrast to local and spinal anaesthesia, general anaesthesia significantly increased the urinary excretion of albumins. General, spinal as well as local anaesthesia significantly decreased the urinary excretion of Tamm-Horsfall protein. The decrease in the excretion of this glycoprotein suggests that all types of anaesthesia techniques may influence the function of the distal part of nephron.