Purpose: We studied the effect of dietary manipulation and high urine flow on neonatal partial ureteral obstruction in a weanling rat preparation.
Materials and methods: A total of 40, 3-week old Sprague-Dawley rats underwent unilateral ureteral obstruction by burial of the right ureter in the psoas muscle and 13 underwent sham operation. Low, high and normal salt, and high sucrose diets were administered for 2 months. The glomerular filtration rate of each kidney was measured by iothalamate clearance. Intrapelvic pressure and renal blood flow were measured before and after acute volume loading.
Results: Fluid intake and urine output were 8 to 10-fold greater in animals on high salt and high sucrose diets compared to those in rats on normal and low salt diets. Hydronephrosis was observed only in rats with partial obstruction and high urine flow. No difference in renal weight was noted. Relative glomerular filtration rate of the partially obstructed kidney was maintained when urine flow was normal but decreased significantly with high urine flow. Total glomerular filtration rate also decreased with high urine flow. Intrapelvic pressure was elevated significantly at baseline in partially obstructed kidneys with high urine flow. All kidneys with partial obstruction had significantly increased intrapelvic pressure with volume loading. Renal blood flow was not significantly decreased in rats with high urine flow.
Conclusions: Chronic high urine flow causes loss of renal function in partially obstructed weanling rat kidneys. Research should be done to determine whether human infants with hydronephrosis and partial ureteral obstruction would benefit from the prevention of increased fluid and salt intake.