title: Erythrocyte cation fluxes in the normotensive and hypertensive clients of a health screening clinic.
abstract: Erythrocyte cation transport was measured in vitro using 22Na+ and 86Rb+ uptake techniques in Caucasian men with newly-detected hypertension and in male control groups. The Na+, K+ cotransport [determined by ouabain-resistant frusemide-sensitive (ORFS) components of Na+ or Rb+ influx], sodium pump activity (determined by ouabain-sensitive Rb+ influx) and erythrocyte Na+ and K+ concentrations were not significantly altered in hypertensive men. The total Na+ influx in hypertensives (n = 59) was significantly greater (P less than 0.001) than in controls. The difference was mainly attributable to an increase in the ouabain-resistant frusemide-resistant component of this flux. The total Rb+ influx in hypertensives (n = 39) was also greater (P less than 0.005) than in controls. Overall, both total Na+ influx and total Rb+ influx were positively correlated (P less than 0.01) with diastolic blood pressure and with habitual dietary intake of alcohol. Multivariate analyses after controlling for the effect of blood pressure showed that mean corpuscular volume (MCV) and alcohol intake were statistically significant predictor variables for total Rb+ influx, although not for total Na+ influx. The results are compatible with increased diffusion of cations across the erythrocyte membrane in hypertension, but raise the question of a possible role of alcohol intake in mediating this effect.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001692:Biological Transport / Q000187:drug effects; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004910:Erythrocyte Membrane / Q000378:metabolism*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000097:blood*; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012964:Sodium / Q000097:blood*
chemical_list: D000431:Ethanol; D012964:Sodium; D011188:Potassium