Nifedipine improves recovery function of kidneys preserved in a high- sodium, low-potassium cold-storage solution: study with the isolated perfused rat kidney technique

Extracellular types (high-Na) of cold-storage solution (CSS) have been shown to be more effective in preserving kidneys than intracellular CSS (high-K). On the other hand, calcium entry blockers (CEB) have been demonstrated to improve graft function when administered after and/or prior to transplantation. The ischaemia reperfusion syndrome involves, in part, an alteration in intracellular calcium metabolism that induces an increase in renal vascular resistances (RVR) and other cellular dysfunction, and high-K CSS per se are vasoconstrictive. Since CEB act via a modification in intracellular calcium metabolism on vascular smooth muscle, glomerular, and tubular cells, we evaluated the actual benefit on CEB on kidneys preserved in Belzer's CSS (K-UW) and a high-Na version of Belzer's CSS (Na-UW).