ABSTRACT
During the development of cirrhosis ascites-edema, peripheral vasodilatation, hypotension and an increase of the plasma concentration of several neurohormones are frequently observed. Such complex changes in the hormonal profile hinders the assessment of the relative role of each in the pathophysiology of this disease. The purpose of this work was to evaluate in a rat model of experimental cirrhosis (phenobarbital/CCl4) the role of the renin-angiotensin system in the pre-ascitic stage of the disease using the converting enzyme inhibitor captopril. Cirrhotic rats showed diminished renal and hepatic perfusion. Compared to normal rats, glomerular filtration rate in cirrhotic rats was reduced from 0.75 +/- 0.11 to 0.42 +/- 0.06 mL/min/100 g BW, and renal plasma flow was reduced from 2.37 +/- 0.28 to 1.58 +/- 0.16 mL/min/100 g BW; the indocyanine green slope changed from -0.095 +/- 0.028 to -0.057 +/- 0.01; the plasma sodium concentration fell from 144 +/- 1.5 to 131 +/- 5.40 mEq/L (all < .05). The mean arterial pressure was not reduced in the cirrhotic rats. There was no ascites. Both the acute (25 mg i.v.) and chronic (25 mg i.p. daily plus 25 mg/L in drinking water) administration of captopril to cirrhotic rats induced an increase in glomerular filtration rate and renal plasma flow along with a steeper slope in indocyanine green decay (p < .05 for all three parameters) when compared to non-treated cirrhotic animals. No changes were observed in controls. In the balance studies, an increase in urinary volume along with a decrease in urinary osmolality was recorded in cirrhotic rats on chronic captopril treatment. In conclusion, our results show an activation of the renin-angiotensin system in these rats, as disclosed by the inhibition of the converting enzyme, as well as a possible interaction with ADH.
Subject(s)
Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors/pharmacology , Captopril/pharmacology , Liver Cirrhosis, Experimental/physiopathology , Renin-Angiotensin System/physiology , Animals , Glomerular Filtration Rate/drug effects , Liver Function Tests , Male , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Renal Plasma Flow/drug effects , Renin-Angiotensin System/drug effects , Water-Electrolyte Balance/drug effectsABSTRACT
The authors discuss a case of thrombocytopenia with bleeding occurred in a young woman with infectious mononucleosis admitted to the Infectious Disease Department of University of Catania. It is reported the pathogenetic hypothesis of virus-induced thrombocytopenia and therapy.
Subject(s)
Infectious Mononucleosis/complications , Thrombocytopenia/etiology , Acute Disease , Adult , Combined Modality Therapy , Female , Humans , Infectious Mononucleosis/diagnosis , Infectious Mononucleosis/therapy , Platelet Count , Thrombocytopenia/diagnosis , Thrombocytopenia/therapyABSTRACT
The main purpose of the present study was to elucidate the potential role of vasodilator prostaglandins and the kallikrein kinin system in renal hemodynamic changes observed during rat gestation. Nineteen pregnant rats, un-treated and treated with Indomethacin (3 mg/kg body/wt) for 4 days during peak glomerular hyperfiltration, were studied before and during pregnancy. Twenty-two non-pregnant rats were also included as controls. Daily urinary volume, electrolytes and kallikrein excretion and creatinine clearance were measured along the experiment. Baseline creatinine clearance increased by 43% at the beginning of the third week of pregnancy to decline thereafter. Urinary kallikrein rose earlier, at the second week of pregnancy, and decreased near term while at the same time sodium excretion dropped by 30%. Indomethacin treatment prevented both the maximum increment in glomerular filtration rate occurring in normal pregnancy between days 14 to 18 and the physiological near term decline in kallikrein excretion. Furthermore, it induced an increase in sodium excretion in late pregnancy. These results suggest that vasodilator prostaglandins and the kallikrein kinin system may well participate in gestational hyperfiltration and sodium homeostasis of pregnant rats.
Subject(s)
Glomerular Filtration Rate/drug effects , Indomethacin/pharmacology , Kallikrein-Kinin System/drug effects , Animals , Creatinine/blood , Creatinine/urine , Female , Kallikreins/urine , Potassium/urine , Pregnancy , Rats , Rats, Wistar , Sodium/urineABSTRACT
The main purpose of the present study was to elucidate the potential role of vasodilator prostaglandins and the kallikrein kinin system in renal hemodynamic changes observed during rat gestation. Nineteen pregnant rats, un-treated and treated with Indomethacin (3 mg/kg body/wt) for 4 days during peak glomerular hyperfiltration, were studied before and during pregnancy. Twenty-two non-pregnant rats were also included as controls. Daily urinary volume, electrolytes and kallikrein excretion and creatinine clearance were measured along the experiment. Baseline creatinine clearance increased by 43
at the beginning of the third week of pregnancy to decline thereafter. Urinary kallikrein rose earlier, at the second week of pregnancy, and decreased near term while at the same time sodium excretion dropped by 30
. Indomethacin treatment prevented both the maximum increment in glomerular filtration rate occurring in normal pregnancy between days 14 to 18 and the physiological near term decline in kallikrein excretion. Furthermore, it induced an increase in sodium excretion in late pregnancy. These results suggest that vasodilator prostaglandins and the kallikrein kinin system may well participate in gestational hyperfiltration and sodium homeostasis of pregnant rats.
ABSTRACT
To determine the risk of cohabitant HCV infection, we investigated the sera of 101 family members of 53 anti-HCV antibody positive chronic liver disease patients. Altogether 14.8% of the cohabitants were also anti-HCV antibody positive, compared to a prevalence of 1.4% in the general population. These results suggest that hepatitis-C-virus may spread by person-to-person infection.
Subject(s)
Family Health , Hepatitis C/transmission , Chronic Disease , Evaluation Studies as Topic , Hepatitis Antibodies/blood , Humans , Liver Diseases/epidemiologyABSTRACT
In order to develop an experimental model for eclampsia, 22 female inbred Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) were grafted with skin from Holtzman males. The implantation of four sequential grafts took place at an interval of ten days. Each SHR was mated with its corresponding skin donor ten days after the last graft. Five non grafted SHR mated with Holtzman males were used as controls. In most of the experimental rats that became pregnant we found changes which consisted in: low number of offspring, stillborn fetuses, abortions and growth delay. Renal function was evaluated before and during pregnancy showing a physiological increase in glomerular filtration of 7.5% (basal = 0.93 +/- 0.12 ml/min, peak = 1.00 +/- 0.12 ml/min) as compared with an increase of 166% (basal = 0.68 +/- 0.22 ml/min, peak = 1.85 +/- 0.33 ml/min) in the control group. Renal histology showed lesions corresponding to disseminated intravascular coagulation. These results indicate that the association of skin grafts and hypertension in these rats affects the normal development of pregnancy and suggest that immunological factors could be involved in experimental eclampsia.
Subject(s)
Eclampsia/immunology , Skin Transplantation/immunology , Animals , Eclampsia/etiology , Female , Glomerular Filtration Rate , Kidney/pathology , Kidney/physiopathology , Male , Pregnancy , Rats , Rats, Inbred SHR , Skin Transplantation/adverse effects , Transplantation ImmunologyABSTRACT
In order to develop an experimental model for eclampsia, 22 female inbred Spontaneously Hypertensive Rats (SHR) were grafted with skin from Holtzman males. The implantation of four sequential grafts took place at an interval of ten days. Each SHR was mated with its corresponding skin donor ten days after the last graft. Five non grafted SHR mated with Holtzman males were used as controls. In most of the experimental rats that became pregnant we found changes which consisted in: low number of offspring, stillborn fetuses, abortions and growth delay. Renal function was evaluated before and during pregnancy showing a physiological increase in glomerular filtration of 7.5
(basal = 0.93 +/- 0.12 ml/min, peak = 1.00 +/- 0.12 ml/min) as compared with an increase of 166
(basal = 0.68 +/- 0.22 ml/min, peak = 1.85 +/- 0.33 ml/min) in the control group. Renal histology showed lesions corresponding to disseminated intravascular coagulation. These results indicate that the association of skin grafts and hypertension in these rats affects the normal development of pregnancy and suggest that immunological factors could be involved in experimental eclampsia.
