| Abstract: | Criteria to categorize children as having hypertension associated with high, low or normal PRA as determined by the technique of renin sodium indexing; or with PRA responsiveness which was normal, suppressed or excessive after acute volume depletion induced by a loop diuretic were established in 30 normotensive adolescents. Four hour upright PRA corrected for daily sodium excretion was elevated in 16% of 43 and 84% of 25 children with essential and renal related hypertension. Low PRA was found in 5 of 43 and 0 of 25 children. In 36 children with essential hypertension evaluated after acute volume depletion, 4 and 5 had hyperand hypo- responsive PRA compared to the 30 normotensive children. The application of these two approaches enables the renin angiotensin system to be systematically categorized in hypertensive children. |
