Regulation of serum-progesterone in patients with essential hypertension

Increased levels of progesterone in serum have been reported in male patients with essential hypertension (EH). We, therefore, investigated serum progesterone levels in relation to excretion of aldosterone after 4 days of low Na+ intake and 6 days following high Na+ diets, in 11 normotensive controls, 22 male patients with EH and 8 male patients with hypertension of renal origin (RH). In the group of normotensive controls, the concentration of progesterone in serum averaged 228 +/- 90 and 186 +/- 93 (mean +/- SD) pg/ml during low and high regimens of Na+ intake, respectively, despite a fall in the excretion of aldosterone from 22.8 +/- 9 to 1.8 +/- 1.4 microgram/24 h. Similarly, in patients with EH, serum progesterone remained unchanged during either low or high Na+ intake regimens: 197 +/- 73 and 219 +/- 83 pg/ml, respectively. In patients with RH, serum progesterone tended to be lower during both low and high Na+ diets: 167 +/- 61 and 185 +/- 72 pg/ml, respectively. In 5 normotensive controls, diurnal variations of progesterone and cortisol were significantly correlated (r = 0.726, p < 0.005). The results of the present study suggest, that progesterone is not involved in metabolism of Na+, either in normotensive or hypertensive male subjects. Correlation between circadian variations of progesterone and cortisol suggests, that progesterone levels are modified by ACTH secretion.