Sodium-22 influx into erythrocytes from diabetic hypertensive patients on maintenance hemodialysis

We have studied the percentage of 22Na+ uptake in cell suspensions; 0.4 to 2.0 x 10(9) erythrocytes/mL from diabetic uremic patients with secondary hypertension and from normal subjects. Suspensions from diabetic uremic patients with secondary hypertension 0.42 +/- 0.06 to 2.05 +/- 0.28; normal subjects showed a percentage uptake of 22Na+ of 0.27 +/- 0.05 to 1.28 +/- 0.22. The uptake of 22Na+ in 2.0 x 10(9) cells/mL was 60% more (P less than .05) in diabetic uremic patients than in the controls. These studies indicate that 22Na+ influx determinations may be used to distinguish secondary hypertensive patients from normal subjects.