Intracellular Sodium Concentration in Lymphocytes and Erythrocytes of Patients with Essential Hypertension

Abstract

In order to investigate the abnormalities in intracellular sodium concentration ([Na]i) in essential hypertension, [Na]i in lymphocytes and erythrocytes was determined in 37 outpatients with essential hypertension and 35 normotensive controls matched for sex and age. [Na]i in lymphocytes was higher in hypertensive patients than in normotensive controls, while no difference was observed in [Na]i in erythrocytes between the 2 groups. There was no significant correlation between [Na]i in lymphocytes and erythrocytes in either group. In hypertensive patients, plasma renin activity had a negative correlation with [Na]i in lymphocytes, but not with [Na]i in erythrocytes. These results suggest that the increase in [Na]i may be associated with essential hypertension with suppressed plasma renin activity and that lymphocytes are more suitable than erythrocytes for the analysis of [Na]i.