Determination of the influx and content of sodium in the erythrocytes of hypertensive and normotensive subjects
Mac Carthy, G.B.
Archivos del Instituto de Cardiologia de Mexico 56(2): 101-107
1986
ISSN/ISBN: 0020-3785 PMID: 2942119 Document Number: 284182
Intracellular sodium concentration in erythrocytes from 25 essential hypertensive and 39 healthy normotensive subjects was measured. Average concentrations were 11.8 +/- 0.54 mmol/litre of cells in hypertensives and 11.04 +/- 0.52 mmol/litre of cells in normotensives. The difference was not significant. Average net sodium influx in the presence of ouabain was 3.45 +/- 0.2 mmol/h per litre of cells in the hypertensive patients and 2.76 +/- 0.11 mmol/h per litre of cells in the normotensive subjects. The difference between these values was statistically significant (p less than 0.01). The results contribute to establish the level of intracellular sodium in the erythrocytes from two groups of subjects: normotensive and hypertensive. Net sodium influx was found higher in hypertensive patients, agreeing with previous work and suggesting a membrane defect.