Impaired preservation of GFR during hypotension in preexistent renal hypoperfusion

Autoregulation of renal blood flow and filtration rate was studied using micropuncture technique in Munich-Wistar rats with acute water deprivation (AWD) or congestive heart failure (CHF). In the first set of experiments, reduction of renal perfusion pressure to approximately to 70% of its initial value resulted in uncoupling of glomerular plasma flow rate and single-nephron glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (i.e., disproportionally profound fall in the latter) in AWD and CHF rats, whereas both indices changed little in normal control (NC) rats. The profound decrease in single-nephron GFR in AWD and CHF rats was primarily due to a reduction in glomerular capillary pressure (change from base-line value was -29 +/- 2% in AWD, -27 +/- 1% in CHF, and -8 +/- 2% in NC). This profound fall in glomerular capillary pressure in AWD and CHF rats was associated with a reduction in efferent arteriolar resistance, which contrastingly increased in NC. To investigate the mechanism underlying this unique efferent arteriolar responsiveness in AWD and CHF, the response of renal arterioles to exogenous angiotensin II was examined in separate groups of AWD, CHF, and NC. There was a markedly attenuated efferent arteriolar vasoconstrictive response in AWD and CHF (the change of efferent arteriolar resistance in both groups was some 5% of that in NC). Thus impairment in the ability to preserve GFR in these two conditions is attributed, at least in part, to altered efferent arteriolar response in the face of reduced renal perfusion pressure.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)