Bartter's syndrome--observations on the pathophysiology.

The pathophysiology of Bartter's syndrome affecting seven adults has been investigated. (1) Saralasin infusion caused a fall in blood pressure in all patients, suggesting that angiotensin was contributing to the maintenance of blood pressure. (2) Following a water load, urinary chloride concentrations and osmolality were both low.

Complement and glomerular disease - a natural history study.

Over a 5-year period we have performed sequential measurements of a range of complement components in 127 patients. Each had a well-characterised glomerular lesion and there was no evidence of an underlying connective tissue disorder. In 17 patients with varied histopathology, who did not have C3 nephritic factor, there was a persisting complement defect which was present during remission in the patients we were able to study.