Effects of an oral protein load on glomerular filtration rate in healthy controls and nephrotic patients.

Glomerular filtration rate (GFR), effective renal plasma flow (ERPF) and humoral factors were simultaneously examined before and after a 50-gram oral protein load in 12 healthy controls and 12 nephrotic patients. The protein load led to rises in GFR with unchanged filtration fraction in both groups although the rate of increase in GFR was greater in the former. The levels of blood urea nitrogen, serum osmotic pressure, plasma glucagon and serum insulin, but not plasma angiotensin II, were significantly elevated following the protein load. The increase in GFR after the protein load appears to be mainly caused by increased ERPF and afferent arteriolar vasodilation.