Impact of gender on renal disease: the role of the renin angiotensin system.
Recent studies have identified key gender differences with respect to cardiovascular function, renal hemodynamics and the renin angiotensin system (RAS). Extensive epidemiologic evidence has shown a clear gender difference associated with progression of cardiovascular and renal disease, whereby female sex appears to be protective. The mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are unknown but likely reflect the aforementioned sex differences in common pathophysiological pathways. This review focuses on studies examining sex differences in renal function, blood pressure and the RAS, which together may provide a plausible mechanism for the gender disparity in clinical outcomes.
Kang
Amrit K
AK
Division of Nephrology, St. Joseph's Hospital, Toronto, Ont.
Miller
Judith A
JA
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005838:Genotype; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008954:Models, Biological; D010641:Phenotype; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System; D012737:Sex Factors