Glomerular filtration rate and routine renal markers in the control and hydrocortisone group.

<p>T0, baseline; T16 wks, end of the 16 weeks hydrocortisone treatment period; T24 wks, 4 weeks after complete cessation of hydrocortisone treatment; HC, hydrocortisone group; controls, control group; Cl_creat, plasma clearance of creatinine; Cl_exo, plasma clearance of exo-iohexol, Cl_endo, plasma clearance of endoiohexol; sCr, serum creatinine; USG, urinary specific gravity; UPC, urinary protein-to-creatinine ratio. The asterisk indicates in which group results are significantly increased (<i>p</i><0.05) compared to the other group at that timepoint.</p

Glomerular lesions.

<p>(A) Glomerulus, Dog 8 at T16 weeks. Obsolescent glomerulus. Periodic acid-Schiff staining (×400). (B) Glomerulus, Dog 5 at T24 weeks. Accentuated lobulation, increase of mesangial and endothelial cellularity of the tuft, and synechiae. Splitting of Bowman's capsule is visible. Periodic acid-Schiff staining (×400).</p

Tubular and interstitial lesions in the hydrocortisone (n = 6 dogs) and control group (n = 5 dogs).

<p>T0, baseline; T16 wks, end of the 16 weeks hydrocortisone treatment period; T24 wks, 4 weeks after complete cessation of hydrocortisone treatment; HC, hydrocortisone. Score:</p><p>1 = rare lesion, 2 = mild, 3 = moderate, 4 = severe.</p

Light microscopic lesions.

<p>(A) Glomerulus, Dog 11 at T0. Early glomerular lesions including minimal increase of mesangial matrix. Periodic acid-Schiff staining (×400); (B) Glomerulus, Dog 11 at T16 weeks. Moderate hypercellularity of mesangial and endothelial cells and one synechia. There is segmental to global increase of mesangial matrix and Bowman's capsule is symmetrically thickened with proliferation of parietal epithelial cells. Periodic acid-Schiff staining (×400); (C) Glomerulus, Dog 11 at T24 weeks. Moderate hypercellularity of mesangial and endothelial cells associated with global increase of mesangial matrix. Visceral epithelial cells are hypertrophic. Periodic acid-Schiff staining (×400); (D) Tubulo-interstitium, Dog 11 at T24 weeks. Moderate inflammation widely separating tubules and atrophic tubules. Periodic acid-methenamine silver staining (×400).</p

Urinary markers.

<p>Median and 75-25^th percentiles of urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratio (uALBc) (A), immunoglobulin G-to-creatinine ratio (uIgG/c) (B), retinol-binding protein-to-creatinine ratio (uRBP/c) (C) and N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase ratio (uNAG/c) (D) at T0, T4 wks, T16 wks, T20 wks and T24 wks in the hydrocortisone (HC) group (black circles) and in the control (C) group (white squares). The grey area indicates the hydrocortisone administration period.</p

Plasma concentration versus time curves.

<p>Plasma creatinine (A1, A2), exo-iohexol (B1, B2) and endo-iohexol concentration (C1, C2) versus time curves in the hydrocortisone (HC) group (6 dogs) and the control group (5 dogs) at T0, T16 wks and T24 wks. Mean ± standard deviation is displayed. The asterisk indicates a statistically significant difference (<i>p</i><0.001) in plasma clearance between groups at T16 wks, for creatinine and exo-iohexol clearance.</p

Glomerular lesions in the hydrocortisone (n = 6 dogs) and control group (n = 5 dogs).

<p>Endocap., endocapillary; Prim.mesang., primary mesangial; T0, baseline; T16 wks, end of the 16 weeks hydrocortisone treatment period; T24 wks, 4 weeks after complete cessation of hydrocortisone treatment; HC, hydrocortisone. Score: 1 = rare lesion, 2 = mild, 3 = moderate, 4 = severe.</p

Electron microscopic glomerular lesions.

<p>(A) Glomerulus, Dog 10 at T16 weeks. Sub-endothelial widening and rarefaction of the glomerular basement membrane associated with foot process effacement. EM ×5000; (B) Glomerulus, Dog 9 at T24 weeks. Multifocal foot process effacement (arrow) and endothelial cell swelling with reduction of the capillary lumens and mesangial interposition (asterisk). EM ×4000; (C) Glomerulus, Dog 11 at T24 weeks. Diffuse and severe foot process effacement (arrows). EM ×4000.</p