Red blood cell sodium-lithium countertransport, blood pressure, and uric acid metabolism in untreated healthy men

Am J Hypertens. 1989 Aug;2(8):634-6. doi: 10.1093/ajh/2.8.634.

Abstract

The relationship of red blood cell (RBC) Na/Li countertransport to the renal handling of lithium and uric acid was investigated in a sample of 176 untreated men. Subjects in the upper quintile of the Na/Li countertransport distribution (n = 40), compared to those in the two lower quintiles (n = 72), had higher serum uric acid levels (0.34 +/- 0.06 v 0.29 +/- 0.05 mmol/L, P less than 0.001) and systolic blood pressure (131 +/- 19 v 123 +/- 16 mm Hg, P less than 0.02) and slightly lower fractional excretion of uric acid (7.5 +/- 1.5 v 8.4 +/- 2.6%, P less than 0.08). The lithium fractional excretion was not significantly related to either blood pressure or RBC Na/Li countertransport. The altered uric acid metabolism in individuals with high RBC Na/Li countertransport could be the expression of an abnormality of renal tubular function.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biological Transport
  • Blood Pressure*
  • Body Constitution
  • Erythrocytes / metabolism*
  • Humans
  • Lithium / blood
  • Lithium / pharmacokinetics*
  • Lithium / urine
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sodium / blood
  • Sodium / pharmacokinetics*
  • Sodium / urine
  • Uric Acid / blood
  • Uric Acid / metabolism*
  • Uric Acid / urine

Substances

  • Uric Acid
  • Lithium
  • Sodium