Necrotizing vascular lesions in spontaneously hypertensive rats with nephrotic syndrome: hypercoagulability as a contributory factor.

Heymann nephritis was induced in rats with spontaneous hypertension (group HN), and renal lesions were investigated at the twentieth and thirty-sixth week. An identical group given antihypertensive drugs (group HN-AH), an identical group given anticoagulant drugs (group HN-AC), and a nonimmunized control group of spontaneously hypertensive rats (controls) were also examined. Massive proteinuria, hypoalbuminemia, and hyperlipidemia were present in groups with induced Heymann nephritis (HN, HN-AH, and HN-AC). Coagulation studies demonstrated a shortening of prothrombin time, an increase in serum fibrinogen and thrombocytes, and a reduction of antithrombin III in the groups HN and HN-AH. Necrotizing lesions were observed only in group HN and without further elevation in blood pressure. Intravascular thrombosis was prominent at the twentieth week, and marked fibrinoid necrosis appeared at the thirty-sixth week. These vascular lesions were not observed in the HN-AH, HN-AC, and control groups. Thus, a state of hypercoagulability in addition to high blood pressure probably contributes to the genesis of necrotizing vascular lesions in spontaneously hypertensive rats with nephritis.