RENIN-ANGIOTENSIN-ALDOSTERON SYSTEM AND ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSION IN RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS PATIENTS

Renin-angiotensin-aldosteron system was investigated in 60 patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis. Forty-four of them (group 1) had arterial hypertension (144 +/- +/- 4/94 +/- 2 mm Hg), sixteen were free of hypertension (120 +/- 3/80 +/- 1 mm Hg). Twenty-nine control subjects comparable by AH standing and demographic parameters had essential hypertension stage IB-IIA by A. L. Myasnikov classification (141 +/- 3/89 +/- 1 mm Hg). A tendency to renin suppression was dominating in 72 % of group 1 patients (plasma renin activity < 1.0 ng/ml/h). In this group there appeared high concentrations of A II (14.2 +/- 3.1 pg/ml) and plasma aldosteron (238 +/- 94 ng/ml). Rheumatoid vasculitis manifested in 86 % of patients. Control subjects exhibited plasma renin activity > 3.0 ng/ml/h in 48 %, average A II concentration was similar to that of group 1 (12.4 +/- +/- 2.7 ng/ml/h, p > 0.05), plasma aldosteron level was significantly lower (176 +/- 29 ng/ml, p < 0.05). Correlations were established between A II concentration and ESR (r = 0.39, p < 0.05). A II and rheumatoid factor titers (r = 0.40, p < 0.05). These indicate that immunopathological reactions are responsible for shifts in renin-angiotensin-aldosteron system in hypertensive rheumatoid arthritis subjects.