Nephrotic syndrome is associated with increased plasma K concentration, intestinal K losses, and attenuated urinary K excretion: a study in rats and humans.

The present study tested the hypotheses that nephrotic syndrome (NS) leads to renal K loss because of augmented epithelial Na channel (ENaC) activity followed by downregulation of renal K secretory pathways by suppressed aldosterone. The hypotheses were addressed by determining K balance and kidney abundance of K and Na transporter proteins in puromycin aminonucleoside (PAN)-induced rat nephrosis. The effects of amiloride and angiotensin II type 1 receptor and mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists were tested.