Glomerular volume in congestive cardiac failure

Glomerular volume has been reported to be increased in patients with congenital cyanotic heart disease and cor pulmonale; however it has not been systematically studied in patients with congestive cardiac failure (CCF). Glomerular volume was therefore measured by point-counting serially sectioned glomerular profiles of 25 randomly selected glomeruli using the Cavalieri principle in autopsy specimens from 8 patients dying from CCF and 6 age-matched controls with no renal or cardiac pathology. Mean glomerular volume was not different between patients dying from CCF and controls, 2.49 (0.21) vs. 2.25 (0.26) - 10⁶#x03BC;m³and the distribution of individual glomerular volumes was similar in the two groups. We conclude that severe CCF is not associated with significant glomerular enlargement and that the previously reported glomerular enlargement in cyanotic heart disease is likely to be mediated through hypoxemia.