Table 1. Maternal salt diet has a marked impact on renal function in the pregnant dam.
| Plasma and urinary biochemistry in pregnant dams at day 20 gestation | |||
| Control | 4% salt | P | |
| Food intake (g/kg BW/day) | 60.2±5.5 | 61.8±4.6 | NS |
| Water intake (ml/kg BW/day) | 74.6±19.8 | 151±18 | 0.003 |
| Urine volume (ml/kg BW/day) | 26.8±5.7 | 113.3±5.3 | <0.001 |
| Plasma osmolality (mosmoles/kg H2O) | 275±4.7 | 294±4.6 | 0.006 |
| Urine osmolality (mosmoles/kg H2O) | 1453±71 | 1094±44 | <0.001 |
| Na excretion (µmoles/h/kg BW) | 32±7.6 | 1743±161 | <0.001 |
| K excretion (µmoles/h/kg BW) | 110±56 | 197±43 | NS |
| Creatinine clearance (ml/min/kg BW) | 2.21±0.20 | 2.60±0.18 | NS |
| Osmolar clearance (ml/min/kg BW) | 0.10±0.02 | 0.27±0.01 | <0.001 |
| Free water clearance (ml/min/kg BW) | 28.4±6.0 | 113±5.0 | <0.001 |
Food and water intake were measured daily, values represent the average intake at day 20. A 24 h urine collection with paired blood sample enabled analysis of renal function. Osmolarity, creatinine and electrolytes were measured by an osmometer (Osmomat 030, Gonotec), auto-analyser (RX-IMOLA, Randox) and ICP-MS (XSeries II, Thermo Fisher, Ltd), respectively. Data are means ±SEM for n = 8 dams per dietary group and were analysed by 1-way ANOVA for an effect of treatment (Genstat v14). Statistical significance was accepted at P<0.05. NS, not significant. BW, body weight.