Renal interstitial pressure in mineralocorticoid escape

Studies were performed in normal and DOCA-treated rats to determine renal hydrostatic pressures within superficial peritubular capillaries, the vasa recta, and renal interstitium during mineralocorticoid escape to test the hypothesis that mineralocorticoid escape is associated with elevated renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure. Fractional sodium excretion was greater in the DOCA-treated rats (3.20 +/- 0.51%) compared with control rats (1.23 +/- 0.12%) with no difference in glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow between the two groups. Superficial peritubular capillary hydrostatic pressure (13.4 +/- 0.6 vs. 8.3 +/- 0.3 mmHg), vasa recta hydrostatic pressure (13.8 +/- 0.5 vs. 9.0 +/- 0.4 mmHg), renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure (9.8 +/- 0.4 vs. 4.5 +/- 0.4 mmHg), and arterial pressure (145 +/- 6 vs. 120 +/- 7 mmHg) were greater in the DOCA-treated compared with the control rats. These studies establish that mineralocorticoid escape is characterized by high renal interstitial hydrostatic pressure.