Impairment of urinary concentration in sickle cell anemia.

Abstract

In 14 out of 15 consecutive patients with sickle cell anemia no urine specimen with an accurately determined specific gravity above 1.016 was obtained. As a result of the responses of the patients to water deprivation and hypertonic saline intravenously, the impairment of urinary concentration appear to be of renal origin. The cause of the kidney defect is unknown. The need for special attention to fluid requirements because of the increased obligatory renal water requirement in such patients is brought out.