New experimental model of acute renal failure and sepsis in rats

• Published in: JPEN. Journal of parenteral and enteral nutrition Vol. 18; no. 6; p. 477
• Main Authors: Kuhlmann, M K, Shahmir, E, Maasarani, E, Akhtar, S, Thevanayagam, V, Vadgama, J V, Kopple, J D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.1994
• Subjects: Acute Kidney Injury - complications; Acute Kidney Injury - physiopathology; Amino Acids - blood; Ammonia - blood; Animals; Cecum; Constriction; Disease Models, Animal; Ligation; Male; Nitrogen - blood; Punctures; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Renal Artery; Sepsis - complications; Sepsis - physiopathology; Sodium Bicarbonate - pharmacology; Urea - blood
• ISSN: 0148-6071
• DOI: 10.1177/0148607194018006477

A rat model of acute renal failure (ARF) with sepsis (ARF+S) was developed to simulate the clinical syndrome of hypercatabolic illness in patients with ARF. Sepsis was created by ligation and needle puncture of the cecum; ARF was created by left renal artery clamping and contralateral nephrectomy. Two studies were performed. In study 1, rats with sham surgery, sepsis, ARF, and ARF+S were examined for 48 hours. During the first 24 hours after surgery, ARF and ARF+S rats displayed increased urea and ammonia nitrogen appearances and abnormal plasma amino acid levels. These abnormalities were exaggerated in ARF+S rats. In study 2, sham, ARF, and ARF+S rats were injected with sodium bicarbonate or normal saline. During the first 24 hours after surgery, the ARF and ARF+S rats showed an increase in urea nitrogen appearance to 210% and 293%, respectively, of sham values, which was greater than the levels that have been previously reported. Sodium bicarbonate treatment did not influence nitrogen output. Rats with ARF+S may be a useful model for studying catabolic patients with ARF. The lack of effect of sodium bicarbonate on nitrogen balance merits additional study.