MORPHOMETRY OF THE GLOMERULUS IN PIMAS AND OTHER MINORITY POPULATIONS

肾小球的面积和大小级分布的平均值为 在一系列尸检中用计算机辅助求积仪计算 来自无任何肾病证据的受试者的样本。这些 形态计量学变量也与组织学严重程度有关。 肾小球病变，按四级量表分级。肾小球大小为 与体重指数和肾脏重量无关。这种形态测量 分析结果与一系列法医学鉴定结果进行了比较。 年龄和性别匹配的白人尸检平均肾小球 皮马印第安人的血容量大于高加索人。 此外，肾小球占据皮质的体积分数 在皮马印第安人中， 肾小球体积的减少不是由于肾小球数量的减少。 皮马印第安人肾小球的大尺寸与 肥胖或心脏重量，并可能构成这种遗传特征， 人口在这一人群中，肾小球质量和 过滤表面可能是家族性倾向于发展 肾脏疾病 最后，我们在一系列法医尸检中进行了类似的研究 在非裔美国人中，因为他们终末期肾病的发病率 远远高于高加索人。的平均尺寸 肾小球在非裔美国人群体中显著更大。 我们推测肾小球增大可能是一个标志物， 对于易患硬化症的人群来说。

The mean of the area and a size-class distribution of the glomeruli were calculated with a computer-assisted planimeter in a series of autopsy specimens from subjects without any evidence of renal disease. These morphometric variable were also related to the severity of histologic glomerular lesions, graded on a four class scale. Glomerular size was independent of body mass index and kidney weight. This morphometric analysis was compared with that obtained from a series of forensic autopsies from Caucasians matched for age and sex. The mean glomerular volume was greater in the Pima Indians than in the Caucasians. Furthermore the volume fraction of the cortex occupied by the glomeruli was greater in the Pima Indians, suggesting that their increased glomerular volume was not due to a reduced number of glomeruli. The large size of the glomeruli in the Pima Indians was independent of obesity or heart weight and could constitute a genetic trait of this population. In this population the changes in glomerular mass and filtration surface may underlie a familial predisposition to developing renal disease. Finally we undertook a similar study in a series of forensic autopsies in African Americans since their incidence of end stage renal disease is much higher than in the caucasian population. The mean size of the glomeruli was significantly greater in the African American population. We postulate that the increased glomerular size may constitute a marker for a sclerosis-prone population.