To study intrarenal hemodynamics (IRHD) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and sclerodermia systematical (SS).
IRHD was studied in 30(28 females and 2 males) and 25(22 females and 3 males) patients with SLE and SS, respectively, and mean duration of the disease 5.6 +/- 0.5 and 7.5 +/- 1.2 years, respectively. Lupus nephritis was diagnosed in 21(70%), sclerodermic nephropathy in 10(40%) patients. Patients with chronic renal failure were not included. IRHD was investigated using protein loading which provided the index of functional renal reserve (FRR).
Impaired IRHD was detected in 21(70%) patients with SLE. 19 patients had lupus nephritis. FRR depletion was found also in 2 patients free of lupus nephritis symptoms. 10 of them (8 with active nephritis and 2 with intact kidneys) had arterial hypertension. FRR depletion was found also in 12(48%) of SS patients. 7 of them had sclerodermic renal lesions.
Impaired IRHD was encountered frequently both in SLE and SS patients and can develop in the absence of renal affection symptoms.