A Rat Model for the Study of Growth Failure in Uremia

Abstract

ExtractThe growth of children with chronic renal disease is poor and the cause of this stunting is not known. Various factors have ben implicated and it is difficult to evaluate their relative importance in clinical studies. Accordingly, there is a need for an animal model, preferably one which enables the effect on growth of a number of factors to be studied separately and over a reasonably short period of time. The growth and food intake of male and female rats rendered uremic by 34 nephrectomy was observed between 40 and 70 days of age for male rats and between 35 and 70 days of age for female rats. Final mean body weight for males with uremia (243 g f 32 g) was significantly less than for control males (323 g f 24 g); final mean body weights for female rats were also significantly different (1 72 g & 17 g; 223 g k 2 1 g). The differences in body weight were apparent from 50 days onwards. Final tail length was significantly less in female uremic rats compared with their control subjects (1 73 mm f 8 mm; 183 mm f 7 mm). Uremic rats matched for body weight with control rats consumed significantly fewer calories; for both groups the average difference was about 15%. Multiple regression analysis of weight gain against age and calorie intake suggests that there may be an increase in the calorie cost of growth in rats with uremia, but these findings require confirmation in paired feeding studies.

Hepatic messenger ribonucleic acid activity profiles in experimental azotemia in the rat. Relationship to food intake and thyroid function.

“…This model was of special interest to us since the decreased food intake and growth retardation that accompany it reflect similar phenomena in the clinical uremic syndrome (4). Moreover, a recent report by Lim et al (5) indicates that the level of circulating triiodothyronine (T3)1 is reduced in the chronically partially ne-phrectomized rat, as has been observed in azotemic man (6).…”

The effects of controlled intake of selected protein foods on nephrectomized rats

“…Restricted protein diet was incriminated as a possible cause of anorexia and chronic malnutrition which are commonly observed in rats with substantial loss of renal mass (Chantler et al, 1974, Diaz et al, 1975. The observations made in the course of this study suggest that the severity of anorexia as well as the amount of body weight and tail length gain were influenced by the different food protein sources and their mixtures fed the rats with renal insufficiency.…”

Effects of glucose-containing peritoneal-dialysis solutions on rates of lipogenesis in vivo in the liver, brown and white adipose tissue of chronic uraemic rats

“…214 associated with the condition in humans (Chantler et al, 1974;Soman & Felig, 1977;Bagdade et al, 1978). In the present work we have investigated the effects of glucose-containing peritoneal-dialysis solutions on the rates of lipogenesis in vivo in liver, brown and white adipose tissue of control rats and rats made chronically uraemic by surgical removal of five-sixths of the total kidney mass.…”

“…In the present work we have investigated the effects of glucose-containing peritoneal-dialysis solutions on the rates of lipogenesis in vivo in liver, brown and white adipose tissue of control rats and rats made chronically uraemic by surgical removal of five-sixths of the total kidney mass. As uraemic rats show anorexia and decreased growth (Chantler et al, 1974;Diaz et al, 1975;Adelman & Holliday, 1977), the results have also been compared with those for a group of control rats subjected to a similar degree of underfeeding as the uraemic animals.…”