CHANGES OF ARTERIAL ARACHIDONIC-ACID METABOLITES IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS DURING HEMODIALYSIS

It is well known that in haemodialysis patients suffering from oligoan uria, extracellular hypervolaemia develops and this hypervolaemia is t he main reason for hypertension occurring in some of the patients. The absence of vasorelaxation during hypervolaemia may be secondary to an increased activity of vasoconstrictor systems and/or a decreased form ation of vasodilator agents like prostaglandin E-2(PGE(2)) and prostag landin I-2(PGI(2)). In the present study, arterial PGE, and leukotrien e C-4(LTC4)-like activities and the effect of fluid removal on these a rachidonic acid metabolites during haemodialysis were measured in norm otensive and hypertensive patients. Plasma PGE(2) and LTC4-like activi ties were significantly different between hypertensive and normotensiv e patients. PGE(2)/LTC4 ratio did not change in normotensive patients while it was increased in hypertensive patients after haemodialysis. T hese results indicate that haemodialysis alters the synthesis of arach idonic acid metabolites especially in hypertensive patients.