Transient response of glomerular filtration rate and renal blood flow to step changes in arterial pressure.

Measurement of rapid renal hemodynamic changes were made for 90 s in pentobarbital-anesthetized dogs following step increases and decreases in renal arterial pressure between 80 and 120 mm Hg. Transient analysis was used to observe time characteristics of the autoregulatory relationships which are obscured in steadystate measurements. Temporal decoupling of blood flow and glomerular filtration rate (GFR) occurred with both step increases and decreases of arterial pressure. Steady-state autoregulation of blood flow was attained in about 30 s, whereas steady-state autoregulation of GFR was not demonstrably attained even 90 s after the arterial pressure maneuver. The temporal decoupling of renal blood flow and GRR supports the concept of transient involvement of proximal tubular dynamics and efferent resistance changes during acute autoregulation of GFR following step changes in arterial pressure.