Renal perfusion and disease progression.

The pathogenetic concept of renal hyperperfusion and hyperfiltration in inducing glomerular pathology and disease progression documented in the renal ablation model in experimental animals to mimic renal disease with reduced nephron mass has recently been challenged. In contrast to the above, the intrarenal hemodynamic study in a variety of chronic glomerulonephropathies reveals a unique characteristic of renal hypoperfusion rather than hyperperfusion. This is associated with an elevated renal arteriolar resistance and reductions in renal plasma flow and peritubular capillary blood flow. The magnitude of reduction in peritubular capillary blood flow is inversely proportional to the degree of tubulointerstitial disease and tubular dysfunction. A progressive reduction in the vascular space due to nonvascular expansion with disease progression supports the concept of hypoperfusion of a whole kidney as well as a single nephron. In accordance with the renal ablation model and early diabetes mellitus, a similar hypoperfusion pattern is also subsequently observed in the chronic stage of renal ablation model in animals and late diabetic nephropathy. The disparity between the hyperperfusion and hypoperfusion in inducing renal disease progression can be enlightened by the Noble Truth of Lord Buddha stating "The Middle Tract is The Balance of Nature". Further support of this conceptual view of renal hypoperfusion as a determinant of tubulointerstitial disease and disease progression is in accordance with the therapeutic benefit with an enhanced-renal-perfusion formula per se in a variety of chronic glomerulonephropathies.

Intrarenal hemodynamic abnormality in severe form of glomerulonephritis: therapeutic benefit with vasodilators.

Intrarenal hemodynamic and tubular function has been assessed in 16 patients who presented clinically with hypertension, hematuria and severe renal functional impairment. Twelve of these 16 patients had histopathologic classification as DPGN (3 cases), MPGN (3 cases) and FSGS (6 cases). The initial assessment of intrarenal hemodynamics in 11 patients revealed strikingly increased afferent (RA) and efferent arterioles (RE), filtration fraction (FF), intraglomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure (PG), whereas, there was marked reduction in renal plasma flow (RPF), in ultrafiltration coefficient (KFG) and in glomerular filtration rate (GFR). Tubular transporting defect as being reflected by enhanced fractional excretions of solutes was also observed. Both enhanced TXB2 production and diminished PGI2 may be in part responsible for the marked reduction of RPF and elevated intrarenal resistance. In light of the preceding intrarenal hemodynamics alteration, therapeutic intervention with vasodilators consisting of dipyridamole, calcium channel blocker and angiotensin convertase inhibitor has been accomplished with clinical improvement in glomerular and tubular functions following the improvement in intrarenal hemodynamics. Thus, this abnormal intrarenal hemodynamics renders a supportive view of the hemodynamically mediated glomerulo-tubulo-interstitial injury to be central to the pathogenetic mechanism.

The relationship between the family income, maternal education, maternal age, birth order, the weight of infant and the episodes of diarrhoeal diseases in the first six months of life.

Influential factors in the diarrhoeal diseases are pathological agents, host and environment. Lower socioeconomic environment is the predisposing factor to the diarrhoeal diseases. This paper is to report the family income, maternal education, maternal age, birth order, the weight of infant and the relationship of each of these factors to the episodes of diarrhoeal diseases in the first six months of life. The infants were divided into 4 groups :- 1st group had no diarrhoeal, 2nd , 3rd and 4th groups had diarrhea with one, two to three and over three episodes respectively. There were no statistically significant difference noted between the groups of diarrhoeal episodes and the family income, maternal education, the weight of infants and birth order. The diarrhoeal diseases occurred more knowledge about proper care of her infant which contributed to the increased episodes of diarrhoeal disease.