Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

J Hashimoto

Publications and source records attributed to J Hashimoto.

At least 91 records · Page 5Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Normal sympathetic vasomotor and cardiac parasympathetic activities in patients with primary aldosteronism: assessment by spectral analysis.

The role of the autonomic nervous system in hypertension due to mineralocorticoid excess remains unclear. To address this issue, we performed power spectral analysis of blood pressure (BP) and RR interval oscillations in 20 patients with primary aldosteronism (PA), 54 patients with essential hypertension (EH) and 45 normotensive (NT) subjects. Blood pressure and the degree of organ damage were similar between PA and EH groups. Age did not differ between the three groups. The Mayer wave power spectrum (MWP) of BP (approx. 0.1 Hz), an index of sympathetic vasomotor tone, was smaller in patients with PA than in patients with EH either while subjects were supine (systolic/diastolic; 3.9 +/- 3.2 (SD)/1.5 +/- 1.3 vs. 5.5 +/- 4.2/2.1 +/- 1.6 mmHg2, P < 0.05 for both) or standing (7.6 +/- 6.6/3.0 +/- 3.0 vs. 17.7 +/- 23.7/7.2 +/- 8.3 mmHg2, P < 0.05 for both). Supine respiratory-related power spectrum (RRP) of the RR interval (approx. 0.25 Hz), an index of cardiac parasympathetic tone, was greater in patients with PA than in patients with EH (545 +/- 574 vs. 302 +/- 464 ms2, P < 0.01). The MWP of BP and the RRP of the RR interval were similar between patients with PA and NT subjects. Adrenalectomy reduced the 24-h mean BP (-18 mmHg for systolic BP, P < 0.001; -12 mmHg for diastolic BP, P < 0.01) and increased the 24-h mean heart rate (+8 bpm, P < 0.001). Furthermore, the diastolic MWP increased mildly (+32%, P < 0.05) and the RRP of the RR interval decreased dramatically (-75%, P < 0.01) following adrenalectomy. These results suggest that both vascular sympathetic and cardiac parasympathetic regulatory systems have minor roles in the maintenance of hypertension in patients with PA. The autonomic nervous system contributes more to the maintenance of BP following than prior to adrenalectomy. This information may be useful for the management of hypertension still persists after removal of adrenal adenoma.

Adenoma↗
PubMed1995

Muscle cramps and elevated serum creatine phosphokinase levels induced by beta-adrenoceptor blockers.

We have assessed the propensity of beta-adrenoceptor blockers to cause muscle cramps and to raise the serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) level in 78 patients with essential hypertension. After a control period, a beta-adrenoceptor blocker without intrinsic sympathomimetic activity (ISA; propranolol, metoprolol or arotinolol) was administered for three months. Thereafter, the patients were randomised to receive a beta-adrenoceptor blocker with ISA (pindolol or carteolol) for three months or a beta-adrenoceptor blocker without ISA for a further three months. This pattern was continued until all beta-adrenoceptor blockers had been given. At the end of each period, CPK and CPK-MB levels were measured. Of the 78 subjects, muscle cramps occurred in 27 during treatment with pindolol and 32 during treatment with carteolol. No complaints were made by subjects treated with propranolol and arotinolol, but muscle cramps were reported in 2 treated with metoprolol. While muscle cramps were caused both by pindolol and carteolol in 16 subjects, they were caused by either of these drugs in the remainder of the subjects. Muscle cramp occurred mainly in the calves when the patients were in bed at night. Serum CPK and CPK-MB levels increased significantly during treatment with pindolol (control period vs pindolol, CPK = 96 vs 133 IU.ml-1, CPK-MB = 14 vs 18 IU.ml-1) or carteolol (CPK = 117 IU.ml-1, CPK-MB = 18 IU.ml-1) while the levels during treatment with propranolol, arotinolol and metoprolol did not change from those in the control period.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Adrenergic beta-Antagonists↗
PubMed1995

The effect of graded calcium infusions on rhythmic blood pressure oscillations in normal man.

This study was designed to determine whether calcium contributes to the regulation of rhythmic oscillations in blood pressure. Six normal subjects received sequential 1-h infusions of calcium gluconate (1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mg calcium/kg/h) during continuous blood pressure (Finapres) monitoring. The plasma ionized calcium ([Ca2+]) concentration increased from 4.6 +/- 0.07 mg/dl to 5.97 +/- 0.20 mg/dl (p < 0.01) with infusion. The mid-frequency (0.07-0.14 Hz, Mayer wave) power spectrum of diastolic blood pressure was depressed slightly following the first dose but increased significantly following the final dose (p < 0.05). The high-frequency (0.15-0.40 Hz) power spectrum of systolic blood pressure decreased following the first dose (p < 0.05) and subsequently remained low. The low-frequency (0.02-0.6 Hz) power spectrum was not affected. These results demonstrate that graded hypercalcaemia affects blood pressure oscillations in man. Our data suggest that the amplitude of the Mayer wave, a clinical marker of sympathetic vascular tone, is modulated in part by calcium.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Contribution of vascular nitric oxide to basal blood pressure in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats.

1. The aim of this study was to clarify the extent to which vascular nitric oxide contributes to basal blood pressure in conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats and normotensive Wistar Kyoto rats. 2. The contribution of vascular nitric oxide to maintenance of blood pressure was estimated by measuring the pressor response to an intravenous injection of nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, N omega-L-arginine methyl ester, given after serial injections of captopril, vasopressin V1-receptor antagonist (V1-antagonist) and ganglion blocker (pentolinium) in conscious spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats aged 20-28 weeks. To estimate the 'amplifier property' of hypertrophied vasculature in spontaneously hypertensive rats, which is known to modulate pressor responses, the lower blood pressure plateau after serial injections of captopril, V1-antagonist and pentolinium and the maximum blood pressure elicited by subsequent injection of increasing doses of phenylephrine were also measured. 3. The serial injections of captopril, V1-antagonist and pentolinium decreased mean arterial pressure from 164 +/- 9 mmHg to 67 +/- 2 mmHg and from 117 +/- 2 mmHg to 49 +/- 1 mmHg in spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats respectively. The subsequent injection of N omega-L-arginine methyl ester restored mean arterial pressure almost to its control levels in both spontaneously hypertensive and Wistar Kyoto rats.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Effects of vasopressin V1 and V2 receptor antagonists on the development of salt-induced hypertension in Dahl rats.

To determine whether the vasopressor and antidiuretic actions of arginine vasopressin (AVP) may participate in the development of salt-induced hypertension, we examined the long-term effects of AVP V1 and V2 receptor antagonists on blood pressure (BP) in Dahl-Iwai salt-sensitive (DS) and salt-resistant (DR) rats. From age 7 weeks, DS and DR rats were fed a diet containing 8% NaCl, alone (control group); 8% NaCl and 1% OPC-21268 (V1 antagonist-treated group); or 8% NaCl and 0.05% OPC-31260 (V2 antagonist-treated group). The pressor response to AVP was significantly inhibited in DS rats treated with OPC-21268. Urinary volume and water intake were significantly increased by administration of OPC-31260; this increase was greater in DR rats than in DS rats. Indirect BP measurements obtained using tailcuff plethysmography showed that DS but not DR rats developed hypertension when fed high-salt diets. However, chronic treatment with either OPC-21268 or OPC-31260 did not alter the course of hypertension in DS rats, despite the effective blocking actions of these antagonists. This finding also was confirmed by direct BP measurements. Our results indicate that even if AVP plays a role in salt-induced hypertension peripheral blockade of either subtype of AVP receptors does not prevent the development of hypertension in DS rats.

Analysis of Variance↗
PubMed1995

The role of nitric oxide in the baroreceptor-cardiac reflex in conscious Wistar rats.

The role of nitric oxide (NO) in baroreceptor-cardiac reflex function was examined using a NO synthase inhibitor, N omega-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), in conscious Wistar rats. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart period (HP) relationships were obtained by intravenous injection of graded doses of phenylephrine and sodium nitroprusside (SNP). The baroreflex function was compared before and after L-NAME (10 mg/kg iv), L-NAME (10 mg/kg iv) followed by exogenous NO supplied as SNP (10-20 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv), or SNP alone (20 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv). To find the effect of changing basal MAP on baroreflex function, the baroreflex function was also examined before and after phenylephrine (8 micrograms.kg-1.min-1 iv) or L-NAME followed by concomitant infusion of SNP and phenylephrine. L-NAME increased basal MAP as well as HP from 104 +/- 1 to 141 +/- 2 mmHg and from 168 +/- 3 to 237 +/- 7 ms, respectively. L-NAME shifted the sigmoid curve in the direction of higher MAP with a significant increase in the gain (gain: control 2.14 +/- 0.15 ms/mmHg, L-NAME 3.70 +/- 0.26 ms/mmHg, P < 0.001). L-NAME together with SNP infusion did not significantly affect the gain, basal MAP, or HP. Infusion of SNP alone shifted the sigmoid curve in the direction of lower MAP but had no significant effect on the gain. An infusion of phenylephrine or L-NAME with concomitant infusion of SNP and phenylephrine increased basal MAP similarly as L-NAME alone did but had no significant effect on the gain.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Pressor effect of recombinant human erythropoietin: results of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and home blood pressure measurements.

We investigated whether treatment of anemic hemodialysis patients with a low dose of recombinant human erythropoietin (erythropoietin) for a short period would increase their blood pressure. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and home blood pressure measurements were used to detect minute increase in blood pressure. Thirty-two patients with a hematocrit of 25% or less received erythropoietin at the dose of 4500 IU/week, by the intravenous route for 8 weeks. Erythropoietin increased the hematocrit from 20.9 +/- 2.1 to 26.2 +/- 2.1%. Erythropoietin elevated mean ambulatory blood pressure by 5 mmHg or more in two-thirds of patients (n = 20; pressor group), while it elevated home mean blood pressure by 5 mmHg or more in one-third of patients (n = 11). An increase in clinic mean blood pressure by more than 5 mmHg was observed only in one-fourth of patients (n = 7). Circadian variation of blood pressure (nocturnal fall and diurnal rise) had been attenuated in the patients of the pressor group before erythropoietin treatment and erythropoietin decreased the nocturnal fall of blood pressure further more. Erythropoietin elevated nocturnal blood pressure more than diurnal blood pressure. Therefore, the increase in blood pressure induced by erythropoietin was detected more reliably by ambulatory blood pressure monitoring. There was no relation between the change in hemoglobin concentration and the increase in ambulatory blood pressure induced by erythropoietin. Erythropoietin tended to decrease cardiac output and plasma volume while it increased total peripheral resistance. It also decreased plasma norepinephrine and vasopressin levels but did not affect other humoral factors. Although the pressor effect of erythropoietin treatment for 8 weeks at the dose of 4500 IU/week was not evident on clinic blood pressure measurements, any increase in blood pressure determined by ambulatory blood pressure should be treated carefully to reduce the risk of a cardiovascular complication in patients receiving hemodialysis.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed1995

[123I-beta-methyl-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid myocardial scintigraphy in diabetic patients without overt ischemic heart disease].

Fatty acid metabolism in the myocardium is affected by metabolic disorders such as diabetes mellitus. We evaluated 123I-beta-methyl-iodophenyl-pentadecanoic acid (BMIPP) myocardial scintigraphy in 15 diabetes mellitus patients without overt coronary heart disease. Patients with overt coronary heart disease were excluded by careful history taking, resting electrocardiography, treadmill exercise testing, echocardiography and resting 201Tl scintigraphy. Patients with remarkably impaired left ventricular (LV) systolic function (%FS < 30%) were also excluded. BMIPP uptake scores as the ratio of heart/mediastinum (H/M) and liver/mediastinum (L/M) at 20 minutes after injection were analyzed and compared with clinical profile, serum parameters, and LV parameters obtained from echocardiography. Five of the 15 patients showed abnormal BMIPP images; two patients showed a decreased uptake in the inferior segments, while three showed a diffuse decrease in BMIPP uptake. Body mass index (BMI), fasting blood sugar (FBS), HbAlc, IRI, and LV end-diastolic diameter (LVEDD) were higher in these five patients with abnormal BMIPP findings (abnormal BMIPP group vs normal BMIPP group, BMI: 29 vs 23 kg/m2, p < 0.05; FBS: 178 vs 114 mg/dl, p < 0.01; HbAlc: 7.6 vs 6.2%, p < 0.01; IRI: 18.5 vs 9.5 microU/ml, p < 0.01; LVEDD: 52 vs 44 mm, p < 0.05). 123I-metaiodobenzyl-guanidine (MIBG) scintigraphy in the five patients with abnormal BMIPP uptake showed more severe defects than in the 10 patients with normal BMIPP imaging. BMIPP scintigraphy demonstrated a significant correlation between H/M and L/M by BMIPP (r = 0.74, p < 0.01). Furthermore, correlation between H/M by BMIPP scintigraphy and clinical parameters (BMI, systolic blood pressure, FBS, HbAlc, IRI) were found, suggesting that diabetes mellitus patients without over coronary heart disease show abnormal BMIPP imaging when their general glucose utility and 123I-MIBG uptake are severely impaired (progression of insulin resistance and sympathetic nerve involvement). BMIPP scintigraphy may be useful in investigating the pathogenesis and subclinical abnormality of diabetic heart.

Aged↗
PubMed1995

[Evaluation of renal function using 99mTc-MAG3 comparison with 131I-OIH by simultaneous dual energy peak acquisition method].

A newly developed 99mTc-labeled renal scintigraphic and renographic agent, 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (99mTc-MAG3) was studied clinically and compared with 131I-OIH in 16 patients with various renal and urinary tract disorders. The abdominal aorta and the common iliac artery were clearly visualized in the vascular phase. The renogram patterns showed the same pattern in all cases. The parameters on the renogram such as Tmax, T2/3, T1/2 were compared. The highly significant correlations of Tmax, T2/3 and T1/2 were observed between 99mTc-MAG3 and 131I-OIH with correlation coefficient of 0.982, 0.907, 0.990, respectively. In all cases, excretion of 99mTc-MAG3 was slower than that of 131I-OIH and the ratios of Tmax, T2/3 and T1/2 between 99mTc-MAG3 and 131I-OIH were 1.113 +/- 0.121, 1.277 +/- 0.247, 1.179 +/- 0.075, respectively. It is concluded that 99mTc-MAG3 is useful renal imaging agent as an alternative to 131I or 123I-OIH.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

[Quantitative brain SPECT imaging with scatter and attenuation compensation: comparison of sequential and simultaneous acquisition of transmission and emission data].

Scatter and attenuation correction for brain SPECT of a phantom and a normal volunteer was performed using the Triple Energy Window method combined with a transmission scan. 99mTc-ECD and 99mTc solution were used as an emission tracer and a transmission source, respectively. We employed a triple-headed SPECT gammacamera system equipped with fan-beam collimators for acquisition with line transmission sources placed at the focal lines of the fanbeam collimators. Two mode, sequential mode and simultaneous mode, of data acquisition protocols were examined. In the sequential mode, a transmission scan was carried out using three external sources for the brain phantom without emission tracer. After removing all sources, an emission scan was performed on the brain phantom containing the tracer. In the simultaneous mode, the injection was followed by a simultaneous transmission-emission scan using one transmission source. The same study was conducted out for the normal volunteer, after confirming the effectiveness of these protocols with phantom studies. Corrected SPECT count values obtained with two protocols were almost identical. Simultaneous mode had advantages in avoiding misalignment between transmission and emission data and in shorter acquisition time than sequential mode.

Brain↗
PubMed1994

Expression of functional proliferating-cell nuclear antigen from rice (Oryza sativa) in Escherichia coli. Activity in association with human DNA polymerase delta.

Proliferating-cell nuclear antigen (PCNA), the auxiliary protein for DNA polymerase delta, is one of the key factors for both PCNA-dependent DNA synthesis and cell-cycle progression. Plant PCNA genes have previously been cloned from rice, carrot, tobacco, and soybean cells by screening the cDNA libraries using similarity to the human or rat PCNA genes. We subcloned the relevant gene from the rice PCNA cDNA into an Escherichia coli expression vector pMAL, and the PCNA protein was expressed in the bacteria in the form of a fusion protein (70 kDa) with maltose-binding protein (MBP). Monoclonal antibody against human PCNA reacted with both purified fusion protein and a 32-kDa fragment, resulting from restriction protease (factor Xa) digestion of the fusion protein. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the 32-kDa fragment was identical to that of rice PCNA sequence. Rice PCNA fusion protein was found to stimulate DNA synthesis catalyzed by DNA polymerase delta from human cells (although much less effectively), while having no effect on DNA polymerase alpha activity. The results indicate that plant PCNA functions as one of the cofactors of DNA synthesis as is the case with other eukaryotes.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Transient and localized expression of bone morphogenetic protein 4 messenger RNA during fracture healing.

Temporal and spatial distribution of a gene encoding murine bone morphogenetic protein 4 (mBMP-4) during fracture repair were investigated in mice by RT-PCR and in situ hybridization. For in situ hybridization, fractured ribs and surrounding tissues were decalcified and hybridized with a mBMP-4-specific complementary RNA probe labeled with digoxigenin-11 UTP. mBMP-4 messenger RNA (mRNA) was not detected in ribs without fracture, whereas it was detected only in the early phase of fracture from 12 to 72 h after the onset of fracture before new cartilage or bone formation. The mBMP-4 mRNAs were present in cells distributed in three distinct regions, namely, the proliferating periosteum, the medullary cavity, and the muscles near the fracture site. These BMP-4-positive cells did not express bone gla protein mRNA, which is a marker of the mature osteogenic cell. RT-PCR also showed a transient increase in the level of BMP-4 mRNA in the early phase of fracture repair. The findings provide us with some new information. (1) The BMP-4 gene is produced by less differentiated osteoprogenitor cells, not by differentiated osteoblasts. (2) The BMP-4 gene is enhanced by the impact of fracture and localized in callus-forming tissue before callus formation. Together with the activities of BMP-4, as was previously described, our results suggest that newly produced BMP-4 gene product is one of the local contributing factors in callus formation in the early phase of fracture healing.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Expression of mRNA of murine bone-related proteins in ectopic bone induced by murine bone morphogenetic protein-4.

To determine whether a system of ectopic bone formation induced by osteosarcoma-derived bone-inducing substance (bone morphogenetic protein-4) can be used as a model of developing bone at the molecular level, we studied the expression of bone-related protein mRNAs in the process of ectopic bone formation using non-radioisotopic in situ hybridization. Osteonectin mRNA was detected in fibroblast-like cells, which are similar to periosteal cells from the early to middle stages of bone development. The proportion of osteonectin mRNA-expressing cells was greater than that of osteopontin mRNA-expressing cells in hypertrophic chondrocytes and osteoblast-like cells. In contrast, osteopontin mRNA was localized in a limited population of hypertrophic chondrocytes, a single layer of osteoblast-like cells adjacent to the bone trabeculae in the middle stage of bone formation, and in a limited subset of osteocytes in the late stage. A strong osteocalcin mRNA signal was detected in osteoblast-like cells from the middle to late stages and in a limited subset of osteocytes in the late stage of bone development. Since the sequential gene expression pattern of bone-related proteins in the present system is comparable to that in embryonic osteogenesis, this system may be useful as a model for studying gene expression in osteogenesis.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Identification of mutation sites of a temperature-sensitive mutant of HCMV DNA polymerase activity.

The human cytomegalovirus (strain Towne) temperature-sensitive mutant ts 256 exhibits a virus specific DNA polymerase-negative phenotype. The position of the mutation of ts 256 was determined by three step marker-rescue assays to be within a 5.1 kb XbaI-BamHI fragment between map unit 0.33 and 0.35 in a HindIII-D fragment located in a long unique region. Nucleotide sequencing showed that the 5.1 kb fragment contained three open reading frames corresponding to those of the genes for UL52, UL53 and UL54 (DNA polymerase gene), respectively, of strain AD169. The functions of UL52 and UL53 are unknown. Comparison of the DNA sequences of the 5.1 kb fragments of the wild-type and ts 256 mutant revealed two base changes within UL53 and UL54, respectively, which result in amino acid substitutions. The mutation in the UL54 gene was located within a distinct conserved region VI common to alpha-like DNA polymerases, suggesting that this base change would be responsible for DNA negative phenotype.

Amino Acid Sequence↗
PubMed1994

Accuracy and performance of the Terumo ES-H51, a new portable blood pressure monitor.

A high performance portable automatic sphygmomanometer, the Terumo ES-H51 (104 g, 58 x 22 x 92 mm), was newly developed for clinical use as a substitute for auscultation using a mercury sphygmomanometer. This device usually displays blood pressure (BP) values obtained by the Korotkoff sound method (K-method). However, when the device judges that BP values obtained by the K-method are inaccurate or unreliable, it substitutes automatically BP values obtained by the cuffoscillometric method (O-method). The accuracy and reliability of the device was tested by comparing it to the auscultation with the standard mercury sphygmomanometer. The mean difference between BP values obtained by the standard method and those obtained by the K-method were -0.7 +/- 2.9 mm Hg systole (mean +/- SD) and -0.3 +/- 2.6 mm Hg diastole, whereas the difference between the former and those obtained by the O-method were 0.3 +/- 5.7 mm Hg systole and 0.3 +/- 4.3 mm Hg diastole (n = 170). The agreement between the BP values obtained according to each of the two methods using the device and the standard method was within 5 mm Hg for 72% to 93% of both systolic and diastolic readings. Therefore, BP values measured by the ES-H51 are accurate. The ES-H51 is sufficiently small and light to be carried easily anywhere. The objective and reproducible BP information obtained by the present device would be useful in clinical practice.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

A high-salt diet alters circadian blood pressure rhythm in Dahl rats.

To determine whether salt loading and salt sensitivity are related to the circadian variation in blood pressure (BP), we studied the circadian rhythm of BP in Dahl rats. Thirteen Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl-S) and 14 salt-resistant (Dahl-R) rats were fed a high- or low-salt diet after weaning. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were measured every 4 sec throughout 24 hr in freely moving rats, and the data obtained were analyzed quantitatively by the cosinor method. MAP mesor was significantly elevated in Dahl-S rats on a high-salt diet (SH), as compared with those on a low-salt diet (SL), but there was no difference in the MAP mesor between Dahl-R rats on a high-salt diet (RH) and those on a low-salt diet (RL). MAP amplitude was significantly greater and HR amplitude was smaller in SH rats than in SL rats; the amplitudes of MAP and HR in RH rats were similar to those in RL rats. MAP acrophase was significantly delayed in SH and RH rats as compared with SL and RL rats, respectively; the time delay in the MAP acrophase was not accompanied by a synchronized delay in HR acrophase. The time delay in MAP acrophase was greater in SH rats than in RH rats. These results indicate that salt loading influences the amplitude and acrophase of BP, and that the effect of salt loading on circadian BP rhythm is modulated by salt sensitivity.

Animals↗
PubMed1994

Compliance with long-term dietary salt restriction in hypertensive outpatients.

Eighty hypertensive outpatients were recruited for a dietary salt restriction program to examine long-term compliance. Twenty-four-hour urine samples were collected repeatedly (7.9 +/- 2.6 times, mean +/- s.d.) during a follow-up period of 6.4 +/- 1.7 years. After initial urine collection, nutritional education was carried out by dietitians to reduce dietary salt intake to 8 g/day or less. After every urine collection, the subjects were given advice by doctors on salt restriction, if necessary. The mean 24-hour urinary salt excretion (U-NaCl) and the mean urinary salt/creatinine ratio (U-NaCl/U-Cr) varied considerably both among and within individuals. U-NaCl/U-Cr, but not U-NaCl, in females was significantly higher than that in males, and in middle-aged subjects than in young subjects. U-NaCl and U-NaCl/U-Cr tended to decrease in the summer. In spite of the repeated educational effort, neither U-NaCl nor U-NaCl/U-Cr was different in the first control samples from that in the last samples. When 57 subjects were divided into three groups according to the urinary salt excretion level, U-NaCl was consistently higher during a follow-up period in the high-salt excretion group than in the mid-salt excretion group, while U-NaCl in the low-salt excretion group was initially lower than, but finally similar to, that in the mid-salt excretion group. These results suggest that: (1) multiple 24-hour urine samplings are required to assess urinary salt excretion in individuals; (2) the influence of age and sex should be taken into account in interpreting U-NaCl/U-Cr; and (3) it seems difficult to achieve long-term dietary salt restriction as a non-pharmacologic treatment of hypertension in an outpatient clinic.

Adult↗