[Mechanisms of the development of arterial hypertension in hypertonic nephritis]

The patients suffering from hypertonic nephritis were examined for renal hemodynamics, the activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS), excretion of PGE2 and PGF2 alpha, and for a number of the parameters of water-electrolyte homeostasis. In A series, the patients suffering from latent and hypertonic nephritis (n = 11 in each group) were compared. In B series, two groups of the patients (n = 13 in each group) suffering from hypertonic nephritis associated with moderate or grave arterial hypertension were compared. The patients under comparison belonging to A and B series did not differ as regards the sex, age, nephritis standing, serum creatinine or proteinuria. As compared with the patients suffering from latent nephritis (A series), the patients with hypertonic nephritis showed a lower effective renal plasma flow, a greater resistance of the renal vessels, lesser PGE2 secretion, and a higher serum sodium concentration. As compared with the patients suffering from moderate hypertension (B series), the patients with associated hypertonic nephritis and grave hypertension demonstrated a higher resistance of the renal vessels, a higher activity of plasma renin, a larger concentration of plasma aldosterone and its excretion with urine, as well as a greater volume of the circulating blood. It is assumed that the development of arterial hypertension associated with hypertonic nephritis may be caused by renal hemodynamics deterioration, by relative activation of the renin-angiotensin system, inhibition of the depressor prostaglandin system and sodium retention. The progression of hypertension may be related to further deterioration of renal hemodynamics attended by RAAS activation and hypervolemia.