THE RENAL LESION ASSOCIATED WITH HEMOGLOBINEMIA

Abstract

Acute renal failure was produced in rats by the intravenous injection of homologous hemoglobin (40 mg/100 gm body weight). A lesion occurs only after prior dehydration, and its severity is related to duration of water deprivation, up to 72 hrs. Ether anesthesia during hemoglobin injection, in contrast to pentobarbital, is necessary for the production of a severe and reproducible lesion. Inulin clearance measurements reveal that functional impairment appears abruptly, within 1 hr of hemoglobin injection. At 24 hrs. a moderate increase in inulin clearance usually occurs, but severe functional impairment persists. Considerable restitution of function occurs between 24 and 72 hrs., approximately 50% of the initial reduction of inulin clearance being restored. Thereafter, to 7 days, a slow rate of functional restoration occurs, but all animals showed some persistent functional impairment at this time. Hemoglobinuria was absent or slight in rats manifesting the most severe renal lesions, indicating that renal failure is not necessarily associated with excretion of pigment in the urine.