[Panarteritis nodosa with secondary hyperaldosteronism involving renal arterioles]

A case of a 6 year old girl with angiographically and bioptically verified systemic polyarteritis nodosa is reported. Secondary hyperaldosteronism due to involvement of small and medium-sized renal arteries caused severe hypertension and left ventricular hypertrophy, and together with abdominal complaints, loss of weight, livedo reticularis and elevated titers of streptococcal antibodies formed the clinical pattern of the disease. It may be assumed, that there is a correlation between the recurrent streptococcal infections and the development of systemic polyarteritis nodosa by hypersensitivity or disordered immunologic reactivity. Therapy and short time follow up is reported. For treatment of hypertension an angiotensin converting encyme inhibitor was used, which immediately slowed down the maximal stimulated plasmarenin-angiotensin system.