Renal function in different forms of renovascular hypertension in rats

This study examines renal function in different rat models of renovascular hypertension. Hypertension was induced by constriction of the aorta proximal to the renal artery (PAC), by PAC and nephrectomy (PAC + Nx) or by renal artery stenosis (RAS). PAC + Nx is equivalent to the Goldblatt 1 kidney-I clip hypertension model. The PAC rats were studied 3 weeks after surgery. Hypertension was by then well established. GFR, measured as the clearance of inulin, was significantly lower in PAC rats than in control (C) rats. GFR was the same in PAC + Nx rats as in C rats, but significantly lower in PAC + Nx than in Nx rats. Kidney weight was significantly higher in PAC + Nx rats than in C rats. Filtration fraction (FF), measured as the ratio between GFR and the clearance of PAH, was significantly higher in PAC and PAC + Nx rats than in C and Nx rats. In RAS rats hypertension was not established until 6 weeks after surgery, and RAS is equivalent to Goldblatt 2 kidney-I clip hypertension. Renal artery constriction was moderate as judged from the weight ratio between the stenosed and contralateral kidneys. The GFR in the stenosed kidney was not significantly lower in the contralateral kidney. FF was significantly higher in RAS rats than in C rats in both the stenosed and the contralateral kidneys, but the increase was less pronounced than in PAC and PAC + Nx rats.