Renal function damage in 131 cases of urogenital tuberculosis

The functional sequelae of 131 patients with urogenital tuberculosis were examined. At the time of diagnosis, more than half of the patients already suffered from global renal failure which was moderate in 42.7 per cent and severe in 15.5 per cent. We believe that the primary functional damage occurs at the medullary level with tubular and interstitial involvement. Indeed, the red phenol test for postglomerular blood flow was altered in a higher proportion than was the creatinine clearance (67.9 per cent). The maximum concentrating ability was altered even more frequently (84 per cent). When we compared various glomerular filtration levels with the grade of alteration of the maximum ability concentration test, we also saw clearly that the alteration of the tubular interstitial medullar function dominated the alteration of the glomerular global function. This proves at a functional level the predominantly medullary localization of the lesion in renal tuberculosis.