Associations between age, body size and nephron number with individual glomerular volumes in urban West African males

Bridgette Joy McNamara, Boucar Diouf, Michael D Hughson, Wendy E Hoy, John Frederick Bertram

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleResearchpeer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Glomerulomegaly has been associated with an increased risk of renal disease. Few reports have investigated the heterogeneity of glomerular size within kidneys and associated risk factors. This study measured the individual glomerular volume (IGV) of 720 non-sclerotic glomeruli in kidneys of adult West African males, and investigated associations of IGV with age, total glomerular (nephron) number and body surface area (BSA). METHODS: IGVs were determined in the kidneys of 24 Senegalese males from two age groups (12 subjects aged 20- 30 years and 12 subjects aged 50-70 years). Subjects were randomly chosen at autopsies performed at Le Dantec Hospital in Dakar. Volumes of 30 glomeruli per subject were determined using the disector/Cavalieri stereological method. RESULTS: IGVs ranged from 1.31 x 10(6) mum(3) to 12.40 x 10(6) mum(3) (a 9.4-fold variation). IGV varied up to 5.3-fold within single kidneys. The trimmed range of IGV within subjects (10th to 90th percentile of IGV) was directly correlated with median glomerular size. The mean and standard deviation (SD) of IGV did not differ significantly between age groups or between subjects with higher (>/=1.78 m(2)) and lower BSA (
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1500 - 1506
Number of pages7
JournalNDT Plus
Volume24
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - 2009

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