GLOMERULAR HEMODYNAMICS DURING ABORTION INDUCED BY RU-486 AND SEPSIS IN RATS

1. Acute renal failure is a very common consequence of septic abortion . Whole kidney and glomerular hemodynamics were evaluated in virgin (V ), pregnant (PREG) and aborted (ABOR) euvolemic Munich-Wistar rats bef ore and after E. coli (0111-B4) endotoxin (LPS) infusion in order to e valuate the effect of septic abortion on the renal microcirculation. 2 . Abortion induced by RU 486 blunted the increase in glomerular filtra tion rate (GFR) induced by normal pregnancy (0.86 +/- 0.03 vs 0.63 +/- 0.07 ml/min, P < 0.05). In virgin rats, RU 486 did not modify the par ameters of renal function. Significant alterations occurred in whole k idney and single nephron function. However, the changes in whole kidne y function in the ABOR group were significantly higher than those obse rved for the V group (reductions in GFR were 42% in V and 80% in ABOR, RPF decreased 34% in V and 76% in ABOR, TRVR increased 82% in V and 4 00% in ABOR). 3. Mean single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR ) was reduced in all groups after LPS (44% in V, 43% in V+RU, 55% in P REG, 60% in ABOR), due to significant decreases in glomerular plasma f low rate, QA(42% in V, 55% in V+RU, 53% in PREG, 57% in ABOR) and in g lomerular ultrafiltration coefficient, K-f(46% in V, 47% in V+RU, 45% in PREG, 67% in ABOR). 4. These data show that LPS induced significant alterations in renal function in all groups. However, aborted rats we re more sensitive to the effects of LPS than V rats. These results ind icate that abortion may potentiate the effects of endotoxemia on renal function elevating the extent of acute renal failure and thus the mor tality rate.