title: Active kallikrein response to changes in sodium-chloride intake in essential hypertensive patients.
abstract: To evaluate the behavior of active kallikrein excretion in salt-sensitive and salt-resistant hypertensive patients during changes in sodium-chloride (NaCl) intake, 61 male, nonobese, nondiabetic outpatients affected by uncomplicated essential hypertension were given a diet that contained 140 mmol NaCl per day for 2 wk. Patients then received either a low- (20 mmol NaCl/day) or a high- (320 mmol NaCl/day) sodium diet for 2 wk, according to a randomized, double-blind, cross-over protocol. Hypertensive patients were classified as salt sensitive when their diastolic blood pressure rose by at least 10 mm Hg after the high-sodium diet, and decreased by at least 10 mm Hg after the low-sodium diet, considering as baseline blood pressure values those that were taken at the end of the 140 mmol NaCl/day intake period. The remaining patients were classified as salt resistant or, when diastolic blood pressure increased by 10 mm Hg or more after low-sodium intake, as counter-regulating. Twenty-three patients were therefore classified as salt sensitive, 28 as salt resistant, and 10 as counter-regulating. The baseline active kallikrein excretion was significantly lower (P < 0.0001) in salt-sensitive (0.62 +/- 0.31 U/24 h) patients than in salt-resistant (1.39 +/- 0.44 U/24 h) and counter-regulating patients (1.27 +/- 0.38 U/24 h). Surprisingly, the kallikrein response to changes in sodium intake was similar in all subgroups, although enzyme excretion was always at the lowest level in salt-sensitive hypertensive patients. This latter group also showed the highest plasma atrial natriuretic peptide levels (28.2 +/- 8.5 fmol/mL, P < 0.0001 versus salt-resistant and counter-regulating patients), and the greatest peptide increment with sodium load (P < 0.0001 versus salt-resistant and counter-regulating patients). Counter-regulating patients showed the steepest increase in plasma renin activity (from 0.24 +/- 0.18 to 0.83 +/- 0.21 ng/L per s, P < 0.001) and decrease of plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (from 26.1 +/- 6.3 to 6.8 +/- 3.1 fmol/mL, P < 0.001) when switched from a high to a low-sodium intake. In conclusion, salt-sensitive hypertensive patients excrete less active kallikrein than do salt-resistant and counter-regulating patients, but maintain a normal enzyme response to changes in dietary sodium intake. The exaggerated response of atrial natriuretic peptide to high-sodium intake that was observed in the same patients could be compensating for an impaired renal capability to excrete a sodium load.
authors.affiliation: University of Rome La Sapienza, Institute of I Clinica Medica, Andrea Cesalpino Foundation, Italy.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferri
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bellini
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Carlomagno
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Desideri
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Santucci
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D018592:Cross-Over Studies; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007610:Kallikreins / Q000187:drug effects / Q000652:urine*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012964:Sodium / Q000652:urine; D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D017673:Sodium Chloride, Dietary; D000450:Aldosterone; D009320:Atrial Natriuretic Factor; D012964:Sodium; D007610:Kallikreins; D012083:Renin