GLOMERULAR VOLUME IN CONGESTIVE CARDIAC-FAILURE

Glomerular volume has been reported to be increased in patients with c ongenital cyanotic heart disease and cor pulmonale; however it has not been systematically studied in patients with congestive cardiac failu re (CCF). Glomerular volume was therefore measured by point-counting s erially sectioned glomerular profiles of 25 randomly selected glomerul i using the Cavalieri principle in autopsy specimens from 8 patients d ying from CCF and 6 age-matched controls with no renal or cardiac path ology. Mean glomerular volume was not different between patients dying from CCF and controls, 2.49 (0.21) vs. 2.25 (0.26) x 10(6) mu m(3), a nd the distribution of individual glomerular volumes was similar in th e two groups. We conclude that severe CCF is not associated with signi ficant glomerular enlargement and that the previously reported glomeru lar enlargement in cyanotic heart disease is likely to be mediated thr ough hypoxemia.