Effect of low-dose dopamine on effective renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration rate in 32 patients with IgA glomerulopathy.

Low doses of dopamine are known to increase renal blood flow without influencing heart rate or systemic blood pressure. Indeed this effect was observed in 32 patients with IgA glomerulopathy. A concomitant increase in glomerular filtration rate (GFR), however, was only observed in patients with a baseline GFR greater than or equal to 73 ml/min/1.73 m2. Moreover, the change in GFR during dopamine infusion increased with increasing baseline GFR. We conclude that in IgA glomerulopathy nephron loss is compensated for by a progressive utilization of the kidney's functional reserve capacity which seems exhausted when compensated GFR falls below 73 ml/min/1.73 m2.