Is the antiproteinuric effect of dipyridamole hemodynamically mediated?

We studied the acute antiproteinuric and renal hemodynamic effect of dipyridamole 30-60 mg intravenously in 13 salt-depleted patients with the nephrotic syndrome of different etiology. Whereas mean arterial pressure did not change, a small fall in glomerular filtration rate with a concomitant fall in filtration fraction and a decrease in urinary protein loss occurred. The fall in filtration fraction was positively correlated with the fall in proteinuria. This suggests that the antiproteinuric effect of dipyridamole is at least partly due to an efferent vasodilation with a fall in intraglomerular capillary pressure.