CHANGES IN IGA AND METALS IN SERUM AND URINE OF HUMAN VOLUME HYPERTENSION

In this study, disturbance of immune response as a pathogenic mechanis m for human volume hypertension was investigated and compared to nephr itis in its correlation with the metals such as zinc, iron and aluminu m as environmental factors. Urinary gamma-GTP excretions in patients w ith nephritis or hypertension were higher than in healthy people, wher eas the plasma renin activity in these patients were lower on the aver age than in healthy individuals. Hypertensive patients participating i n this study were diagnosed as the volume hypertension type from our c linical and other results. The serum IgM and IBA levels in renal patie nts showed a tendency to be lower than in the healthy people used as c ontrol. Urinary IgA excretion in hypertensive patients was increased i n association with increasing excretions of aluminum and/or iron into urine. The values of regression coefficients in the urine samples for aluminum and iron vs. IgA, respectively, were very high at r=0.900 (n= 9, p<0.05) and 0.736 (n=9, p<0.05). These correlations were shown to b e very useful indicators in diagnosing volume hypertension. Moreover, hypertensive patients in this study were demonstrated to have a high r egression coefficient (r=-0.702, n=7; p<0.05) for calcium vs. renin in the serum. In the hypertension, augmentation of serum calcium signifi cantly decreased plasma renin activity.