Familial nephrosis, nerve deafness, and hypoparathyroidism

Two male siblings with nephrotic syndrome, nerve deafness, and hypoparathyroidism are described. Each child, one at five years of age and the other at eight years, died in renal failure. At autopsy the parathyroid glands were absent in one child and hypoplastic in the other one. Two twin male siblings presented with similar findings and died at the age of three years. At autopsy their parathyroid glands were fibrotic, and glomerular basement membranes were thickened. This may be the first recorded association of familial nephrosis, nerve deafness, and hypoparathyroidism. The mode of transmission is compatible with autosomal recessive inheritance.

Autoregulation of renal blood flow in the puppy

The ability of the immature kidney to autoregulate blood flow was investigated. Renal blood flow was measured by electromagnetic flowmeter. In six puppies, selective blockade of the intrarenal effects of angiotensin II (AII) by [1-sarcosine, 8-alanine]angiotensin II (anti-AII) administered into the renal artery did not change renal blood flow. During selective renal AII blockade, intravenous AII raised perfusion pressure from 76 +/- 2 to 100 +/- 6 mmHg. Renal blood flow increased from 1.59 +/- 0.29 to 1.98 +/- 0.59 ml/g kidney per min, but returned to control levels within 40 s in spite of persistent arterial pressure elevation. In another group of seven puppies, renal blood flow remained constant despite reduction of renal perfusion pressure by aortic constriction to 60 mmHg. In two of these seven puppies intrarenal anti-AII did not abolish autoregulation. Autoregulation of renal blood flow occurs in the puppy and is not influenced by inhibition of angiotensin. The renin-angiotensin system does not appear to be involved in the normal regulation of renal blood flow in the puppy.