The influence of an angiotensin II antagonist, saralasin, given before donor nephrectomy, on kidney function after...

Kidneys from cadaver donors who had been treated during the last 10 min before bilateral nephrectomy with an infusion of 10 micrograms/kg-1/min-1 (Sar1, Val5, Ala8)-angiotensin II had a remarkable, significantly lower percentage of acute renal failure (25%) after renal transplantation than untreated kidneys (58.3%). Anuria was seen in the treated group only in 4.2%, although it occurred in the untreated control group in 16.6%. The role of the activated renin-angiotensin system in postischemic acute renal failure is discussed.