Effect of aortic clamping on proximal reabsorption and sodium excretion in the rat

It has been suggested that aortic clamping prior to expansion of the extracellular fluid volume prevents the natriuretic response normally seen in this setting. To further evaluate this finding, two groups of re-collection micropuncture studies were performed before and after 7.5% body wt expansion with Ringer solution. Group I, immediate-clamp studies, n, 11. After control collections, perfusion pressure to the left kidney was decreased to 75 mmHg followed by Ringer loading. Group II, delayed-clamp studies, n, 8. After control collections, Ringer solution was given for 40 min. Then the left renal perfusion pressure was reduced to 75 mmHg and the Ringer infusion was continued at the same rate. In the immediate-clamp group, there was no change in total kidney glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (1.16 vs. 1.11 ml/min), nephron GFR (40 vs. 39 nl/min), tubular fluid-to-plasma inulin ratio (2.40 vs. 2.28), or filtrate delivery out of the proximal tubule (18 vs. 18 ndium excretion were not significantly altered. In the delayed-clamp studies, there was also no change in total or nephron GFR, but the tubular fluid-to-plasma inulin ratio fell from 2.52 to 1.65 (P less than .001) and distal delivery rose 9 nl/min after expansion (P less than .001). Sodium excretion increased 3.83 mueq/min and fractional sodium excretion rose 2.28%, both values being markedly greater than in the immediate-clamp studies (P less than .005 for both). These results demonstrate that immediate clamping obviates the fall in proximal reabsorption and the natriuretic response to Ringer loading and suggests that intrarenal adjustments are a major determinant of the magnitude of the natriuretic response to expansion of the extracellular volume