Supra-normal creatinine clearance in black mild hypertensive patients in Nigeria

Glomerular filtration rates, as assessed by creatinine clearances were studied in 35 mild hypertensive, 104 moderate hypertensive and 167 severe hypertensive patients. The ages ranged from 16 to 65 years and the duration of hypertension varied between 0.5 and five years. The cause of hypertension was presumed idiopathic in all but 13 severe hypertensives in whom renal biopsies were performed. The mean creatinine clearances in mild, moderate and severe hypertensives were 154.5 +/- 15.0, 83.0 +/- 26.0, 15.0 +/- 14.0 (male) and 147.0 +/- 20.0, 78.0 +/- 15.0 and 14.3 +/- 13.0 (female) respectively. A creatinine clearance of greater than 125 ml per minute was recorded in all patients with mild hypertension. This finding might be a feature of early structural and functional renal damage in mild hypertension.