HYPERTENSION AND PLASMA RENIN ACTIVITY IN EXPERIMENTALLY INDUCED CHRONIC PYELONEPHRITIS

Abstract

Hypertension resulting from chronic pyelonephritis has been shown in clinical as well as experimental cases, although some authors deny a pathogenic relationship between the two. To throw light on this problem the present authors conducted a series of experiments with mongrel dogs, in which chronic pyelonephritis was induced and postoperative changes in blood pressure and plasma renin activity were observed over a period of 3 months.
The pyelonephritis infection was brought about by a method involving vesicoureteral reflux and ureteral dysfunction, as described in a previous paper. Pre and postoperative levels of systolic pressure were compared, but no definite trends were found for the first 3 weeks after operation. At 30, 60 and 90 days the pressures were found to have risen to plus 21.2±11.2mmHg, 21.7±14.6mmHg and 17.1±16.7mmHg, respectively. Thus there was a significant elevation (p<0.01). pNo appreciable change in the plasma renin activity was found, however, at any stage.
From these results it was concluded that experimentally induced chronic pyelonephritis in dogs caused a rise in blood pressure. No connection between the pyelonephritis and the renin angiotensin system was found.