Catecholamines, Angiotensin II and Sodium Concentrations in Cerebrospinal Fluid in Young Men with Borderline Hypertension

Abstract

To evaluate the role of central nervous mechanisms and their relationships to the peripheral sympathetic nervous system in borderline hypertension, we measured catecholamines, angiotensin II (AII) and sodium (Na) concentrations in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) with plasma catecholamines concomitantly in 12 young men with borderline hypertension and 7 age-matched healthy normotensive men on ordinary salt intake. Plasma norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) were higher in the borderline hypertensives than in the normotensives (NE: 239 ± 15 vs 190 ± 11 pg/ml, p < 0.05, E: 83 ± 9 vs 43 ± 6 pg/ml, p < 0.01). NE levels in CSF were also higher in the borderline hypertensives than in the normotensives (200±15 vs 150 ± 18 pg/ml, p < 0.05). In most of the subjects, CSF E and plasma and CSF dopamine levels were below the sensitivity of the assay. CSF NE correlated positively with both plasma NE (p < 0.01) and mean blood pressure (p < 0.05) in all subjects. Immunoreactive All and Na concentrations in CSF did not differ between the borderline hypertensives and normotensives. These results suggest that peripheral sympathoadrenal overactivity in young subjects with borderline hypertension may be related to an altered function of central noradrenergic neurons. A11 and Na in the central nervous system do not appear to have an important role in borderline hypertension

Key Words:

• Borderline hypertension
• Catecholamines in Plasma and CSF
• CSF Angiotensin II