Increase in renal blood flow in acute renal failure following intra-arterial infusion of acetylcholine

Abstract

The renal blood flow and intrarenal blood flow distribution were measured with the ¹³³Xe technique before and after infusion of 1 mg/min acetylcholine into the renal artery for 10 min in four patients with acute interstitial nephritis and six patients with acute renal failure from other disorders. All patients with acute interstitial nephritis and three of the patients with other types of renal failure showed a marked increase in cortical renal blood flow, following the infusion. Thus vasoconstriction is present in acute renal failure, and may be a factor in the pathogenesis of severely impaired renal function.

Key Words:

• renal blood flow
• intrarenal blood flow distribution
• acetylcholine
• acute renal failure