Changes in erythrocyte potassium concentration in Goldblatt hypertension of the rabbit.

Changes in potassium (K) concentration in erythrocytes (RBC) were investigated during the early developing stage (1 and 2 weeks after) and the chronic established stage (12 to 16 weeks after the renal artery constriction) in two-kidney (group 2H) and one-kidney Goldblatt hypertension (group 1H) of the rabbit. In both group 2H and group 1H, blood pressure was already elevated significantly during week 1, and reached a level about 70 mmHg higher than the pre-constriction level at the chronic stage. It did not change in the control group (group C). During week 2, the change in RBC K concentration showed a significant negative correlation with the change in blood pressure In group 2H (r = -0.529, n = 26, p less than 0.01). During the chronic stage, the RBC K concentration was lower in group 2H (103.5 +/- 1.7 mEq/1 RBC, n = 10, p less than 0.01 compared with group C) and in group 1H (102.1 +/- 1.6, n = 7, p less than 0.001) than in group C (111.6 +/- 2.2, n = 9). The change in this parameter from the pre-constriction value was -11.9 +/- 2.1 mEq/1 RBC (p less than 0.001) in group 2H, -13.0 +/- 1.8 (p less than 0.001) in group 1H, and -2.4 +/- 2.6 (not significant) in group C. The results suggest that the intracellular electrolyte metabolism is altered in both types of chronic Goldblatt hypertension.