Renins and prostaglandins in segmental renal artery aneurysm associated with accelerated hypertension

A patient with hypertension of sudden onset and with segmental renal ischemia due to an aneurysm in a renal artery branch underwent a nephrectomy which apparently cured his arterial hypertension. The nephrectomy specimen was studied to determine the activity of the juxtaglomerular cells and the concentration of prostaglandins in both ischemic and normal renal tissue. As compared with the normal tissue, the ischemic cortex had an increased number of heavily granulated juxtaglomerular cells. Interstitial fibrosis in the ischemic segment was associated with considerably lower tissue concentration of both prostaglandins A2 and E2 when compared with surrounding normal medulla. These findings appear to correlate well with present theories that consider renal ischemia to be associated with decreased production or response of prostaglandins that normally would counteract the effects of angiotensin.