Structural changes in the kidney induced by coarctation hypertension

We investigated structural alterations in renal tissue identifying the morp hological and histological changes in the non-ischemic kidney (NIK) and the ir potential significance in aortic coarctation-hypertensive rats (HR). HR' s mean arterial pressure (MAP) was higher compared with sham operated rats (SR). An oral 10 mg/kg/day losartan (LOS) dose diminished but not reverted MAP. Hypertrophy was noted in HR NIK's with significant weight increase (p< 0.01). The ratio IK/NIK in HR's decreased 22% (p<0.01). LOS proved to cause no ischemic kidney (IK) modification nor did it revert NIK hypertrophy. NI K in HR's presented glomerulosclerosis, mesangial proliferation and arterio lar thickening reverted by LOS. The stereological study of afferent NIK art erioles showed hypertrophy and an increase in the wall/lumen ratio without lumen modification. LOS diminished wall thickness. LOS-induced decrease of NIK alterations might result from arteriosclerosis regression, the media/lu men ratio, glomerulosclerosis and mesangial proliferation dependent on angi otensin II.