Increased Plasma Renin Activity in Chronic Renal Failure Associated with Severe Hypertension ; Relationship between Plasma Renin Level and Peritoneal Dialysis

Activity of plasma renin was studied in 16 patients with chronic renal failure. 1) Plasma renin activity was increased in 7 of 11 patients by peritoneal dialysis. Three of them showed a marked increase in plasma renin activity. On the other hand, only one of five patients who had not received dialysis showed a slight increase in plasma renin activity. 2) A marked increase in plasma renin was associated with a severe hypertension and an advanced vascular retinopathy. 3) There is no consistent correlation between the level of plasma renin activity and other laboratory findings such as serum sodium, potassium. BUN, arterial pH and Pco2, and hernatocrit. 4) The fact that bilataral nephrectomy counteracted an increased plasma renin activity and lowered blood pressure suggests renin release from the excised kidney, and participation of renin in maintenance of hypertension in the endstage of chronic renal failure.