[Is hypertension related to the number of nephrons?].
The kidney has a key role in blood pressure control, and an abnormal regulation of sodium balance is involved in essential hypertension. It has been suggested that a reduced nephron number at birth could be one possible mechanism. Indeed various strains of hypertensive animals exhibit a reduced nephron number. In human beings, two autopsy studies have clearly shown a lower (about 50%) nephron number in hypertensive subjects. The glomeruli are also enlarged, indicating hyperfiltration. This could be the cause of both high blood pressure and later nephrosclerosis. A low number of nephrons is part of the perinatal programming which occurs together with fetal growth retardation, and this has been reproduced experimentally. There is a negative correlation between birth weight and glomerular number. Such a situation is associated with a largely increased risk of cardiovascular complications in adulthood.
Beaufils
M
M
Hôpital Tenon, service de médecine interne, Paris. michel.beaufils@tnn.ap-hop-paris.fr
D000818:Animals; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009399:Nephrons / Q000502:physiology*