title: Aldosterone, plasma Renin activity, and aldosterone/renin ratio in a normotensive healthy pediatric population.
abstract: Primary aldosteronism is an important cause of secondary hypertension and is suspected in adults with an aldosterone/renin ratio > or =25. The normal aldosterone/renin ratio is unknown in children. The aim was to establish serum aldosterone, plasma renin activity, and aldosterone/renin ratio values in a healthy pediatric population. A cross-sectional study was performed in 211 healthy normotensive children (4 to 16 years old). Two subgroups of normotensive children were obtained: with hypertensive parents (NH) (n=113) and normotensive parents (n=98). Blood samples for measuring serum aldosterone, plasma renin activity, aldosterone/renin ratio, and DNA were collected. In subjects with aldosterone/renin ratio > or =25, the chimeric CYP11B1/CYP11B2 gene was investigated by long-extension PCR. Results are expressed as median [Q(1)-Q(3)]. NH and normotensive parents groups were similar in serum aldosterone (6.5 [3.6 to 9.0] ng/dL versus 6.5 [2.9 to 9.7] ng/dL; P=0.968) and plasma renin activity (2.3 [1.6 to 3.1] versus 2.4 [1.7 to 3.7] ng/mL per hour; P=0.129). The aldosterone/renin ratio was higher in the NH group, but this difference did not reach statistical significance (2.8 [1.9 to 4.1] versus 2.5 [1.4 to 4.0], P=0.104). In one subject of the NH group, the chimeric CYP11B1/CYP11B2 gene was detected. We demonstrated that normal aldosterone/renin ratio values in a healthy pediatric population without NH were lower than those reported for an adult normotensive population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology, School of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Lira 85, Piso 5, Santiago 8330074, Chile.
authors.forename: Alejandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Martinez-Aguayo
authors.forename: Marlene
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aglony
authors.forename: Carmen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Campino
authors.forename: Hernan
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Rodrigo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bancalari
authors.forename: Lillian
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bolte
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Avalos
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Loureiro
authors.forename: Cristian A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Carvajal
authors.forename: Alejandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avila
authors.forename: Viviana
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Perez
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Inostroza
authors.forename: Carlos E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Fardella
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011863:Radioimmunoassay; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D013252:Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000450:Aldosterone; D013252:Steroid 11-beta-Hydroxylase; D012083:Renin