Combined antihypertensive and lipid-lowering therapy in experimental glomerulonephritis

We examined the interrelation between systemic hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and progressive renal injury in experimental glomerulonephritis. Induction of nephrotoxic serum nephritis in Sprague-Dawley rats led to systemic hypertension and hyperlipidemia. Four groups of rats were studied over a 16-week period: (1) untreated nephritic rats; (2) nephritic rats treated with hydralazine, reserpine, and lasix (AH); (3) nephritic rats treated with lovastatin (4 mg/kg) (Lova); and (4) nephritic rats treated with combined antihypertensive/lipid-lowering therapy (AH/Lova). Systolic blood pressure rose progressively in untreated rats (152 +/- 4 mm Hg at 16 weeks). Blood pressure was reduced by antihypertensive therapy (P < .001) (108 +/- 2 mm Hg in the AH group and 111 +/- 3 mm Hg in the AH/Lova group) but remained elevated in animals treated with lovastatin alone (P > .05) (156 +/- 3 mm Hg in the Lova group). Serum cholesterol rose progressively in untreated rats (3.70 +/- 0.85 mmol/L [143 +/- 33 mg/dL] at 16 weeks). The rise in serum cholesterol was prevented by lovastatin therapy (P < .001) (2.22 +/- 0.41 mmol/L [86 +/- 16 mg/dL] in the Lova group and 2.09 +/- 0.52 mmol/L [81 +/- 2 mg/dL] in the AH/Lova group) but not antihypertensive therapy (P > .05) (2.92 +/- 0.65 mmol/L [113 +/- 25 mg/dL] in the AH group). Proteinuria was reduced by antihypertensive therapy (P < .001) and lipid-lowering therapy (P < .05) (16-week values: 1.069 +/- 0.167 g/d in untreated rats, 0.663 +/- 0.164 g/d in the Lova group, 0.392 +/- 0.051 g/d in the AH group, and 0.176 +/- 0.035 g/d in the AH/Lova group).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)