FLOW AND COMPOSTION OF RENAL HILAR LYMPH DURING VOLUME EXPANSION AND SALINE DIURESIS

Abstract

Volume expansion of 5-10% body weight in dogs
was achieved by infusion of 0.9 %, 1.2 % or 0.4 %
saline. The average diuretic response for each group
was 9.9 ± 2.1, 5.5 ± 0.6 and 3.3 ± 0.9 (mean ± S.E.)
ml/hr/kg respectively. Flow from single hilar
lymphatics increased by an average of 150 %, there
being no significant difference between the groups.
A significant (p < 0.02) positive correlation was
found between the increase in hilar lymph flow and
thoracic duct lymph flow. No correlation was found
between hilar lymph flow and the extent of the
diuresis. Control hilar lymph contained higher
concentrations of Na+ (L/P = 1.05) and Cl-
(L/P = 1.12) (P < 0.001) and lower concentrations
of glucose (L/P = 0.86) (p < 0.001) than did
simultaneous plasma. The electrolyte lymph-to-plasma
differences were maintained despite increases
or decreases in plasma concentrations. The results
indicate that changes in hilar lymph flow are related
to volume expansion rather than to the diuresis, and
that the processes responsible for lymph-to-plasma
compositional differences are relatively unaffected
by changes in plasma levels.