Alterations in regional kidney oxygenation during expansion of extracellular fluid volume in conscious healthy sheep

Expansion of extracellular fluid volume with crystalloid solutions is a common medical intervention, but its effects on renal cortical and medullary oxygenation are poorly understood. Therefore, we instrumented sheep under general anesthesia to enable continuous measurement of systemic and renal hemodynamics, global renal oxygen delivery and consumption, and intrarenal tissue perfusion and oxygen tension (Po₂) in conscious animals ( n = 7). The effects of three sequential intermittent infusions of 500 ml of compound sodium lactate solution, administered at hourly intervals, were determined. Volume expansion induced transient increases in mean arterial pressure (+7 ± 2%), central venous pressure (+50 ± 19%), and cardiac output (+15 ± 3%). There were sustained increases in renal medullary tissue Po₂ (+35 ± 10%) despite increases in global renal oxygen consumption (+66 ± 18%) and renal oxygen extraction (+64 ± 8%). Volume expansion did not significantly alter renal blood flow, renal oxygen delivery, or medullary perfusion. The sustained increase in medullary Po₂ was paralleled by increased bladder urine Po₂ (34 ± 4%). Cortical perfusion and Po₂ did not change significantly. Our findings indicate that extracellular fluid volume expansion can increase renal medullary oxygenation, providing a potential mechanistic basis for its use as prophylaxis against iatrogenic acute kidney injury. They also indicate that continuous measurement of bladder urine Po₂ could be used to monitor the effects of volume expansion on medullary oxygenation. However, the mechanisms mediating increased medullary oxygenation during volume expansion remain to be determined.

Changes in renal medullary pO2 during water diuresis as evaluated by blood oxygenation level-dependent magnetic resonance imaging: effects of aging and cyclooxygenase inhibition

BACKGROUND

Hypoxia of the renal medulla has been implicated in the development of renal injury, particularly acute renal failure, and its regulation in humans may therefore be relevant to certain renal disorders. Changes in oxygenation of the renal medulla can now be monitored noninvasively with blood oxygenation level-dependent (BOLD) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Using this method, water diuresis has been shown to improve medullary oxygenation in young persons. Urinary excretion of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) likewise increases during water diuresis in younger but not in older people. We used BOLD MRI to measure the effects of aging and of inhibiting prostaglandin synthetase on the renal response to water diuresis in healthy human subjects.

METHODS

Nine younger (25 to 31 years) and nine older (59 to 79 years) female volunteers were studied with BOLD MRI during antidiuresis in the postabsorptive state and during water diuresis. Simultaneously, urinary excretion of PGE2 was determined. PG synthetase was inhibited by administering ibuprofen.

RESULTS

Renal medullary oxygenation, initially low, greatly improved during diuresis in younger subjects, whereas PGE2 excretion increased. In older women, however, water diuresis elicited no change in oxygenation of renal medulla or PGE2 excretion. Ibuprofen inhibited excretion of PGE2 and blocked the increase in medullary oxygenation normally produced by water diuresis in the young.

CONCLUSIONS

The increase in oxygenation of the renal medulla accompanying water diuresis depends on PGE2 synthesis. Attenuation of renal PGE2 synthesis in older people is probably responsible, at least in part, for the loss of the ability to improve medullary oxygenation that younger subjects possess. Inability to improve renal medullary oxygenation might predispose to hypoxic renal injury in older patients.