AMMONIA CONCENTRATION IN THE RENAL VEINS IN UNILATERAL RENAL-ARTERY STENOSIS WITH HYPERTENSION

We measured blood ammonia in pre-angioplasty samples from the renal ve ins, aorta and inferior vena cava of 15 patients with hypertension due to unilateral renal artery stenosis confirmed by arteriography. Patie nts with renal insufficiency or small kidneys were excluded. Mean ammo nia values were mu g/dl: vein of affected kidney, 106.00 +/- 12.75 vei n of unaffected kidney, 75.65+/-23.10; aorta 61.04 +/- 15.00; vena cav a, 62.44 +/- 19.65. The value for the affected kidney was significantl y higher than the other three values (p< 0.001). Mean +/- SD DTPA upta ke (%) was 42.8+/-2.21 in the affected kidney and 56.53+/-3.64 in the unaffected kidney. This difference did not correlate significantly wit h that of the ammonia concentrations tau=-0.292).