Atorvastatin protects renal function in the rat with acute unilateral ureteral obstruction.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the effects of atorvastatin on renal hemodynamics and urinary microalbumin levels in rats with acute unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). Previous studies have demonstrated that treatment with statins attenuated renal structural damages in rodents with chronic UUO. However, it is not known whether statins afford protection of renal function.


METHODS
UUO was created by ligation of the left ureter in rats maintained on a regular diet or the same diet but supplemented with atorvastatin (50 mg/kg/d) for 2 weeks. Renal clearance experiments were performed after release of UUO at 1 hour, 6 hours, or 12 hours.


RESULTS
Atorvastatin treatment lowered plasma triglyceride but not cholesterol levels. Both glomerular filtration rate and effective renal plasma flow were significantly greater in atorvastatintreated rats after release of UUO at 1 hour, 6 hours, and 12 hours. Significant reduction of urinary microalbumin to creatinine ratios occurred in the atorvastatin-treated group at 12 hours but not earlier.


CONCLUSIONS
Atorvastatin treatment affords protection of renal function in acute UUO and reduces urinary microalbumin levels without lowering cholesterol levels. This pleiotropic action of atorvastatin on preservation of renal hemodynamics may be important in attenuating subsequent renal structural injury in chronic UUO.
Kamdar
Ciamack
C
Department of Urology, Brookdale University Hospital and Medical Center, Brooklyn, New York 11212, USA.
Chou
Shyan-Yih
SY
Mooppan
Unni M M
UM
Kim
Hong
H
Gulmi
Frederick A
FA
D000208:Acute Disease; D000419:Albuminuria / Q000517:prevention & control; D000818:Animals; D000069059:Atorvastatin; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006538:Heptanoic Acids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D011758:Pyrroles / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D014517:Ureteral Obstruction / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology
D006538:Heptanoic Acids; D019161:Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors; D011758:Pyrroles; D000069059:Atorvastatin