Abstract
11-Deoxycorticosterone (DOC) was determinedby specific RIA in 27 normal subjects and in 25 normal reninand 23 low renin hypertensives. None of the patients exhibitedunprovoked hypokalemia. Strict criteria were employed for reninprofiling the hypertensive patients, including age matching, exclusionof diabetics, and the use of medications known to interferewith the renin response or with DOC measurements. In all3 groups, comparable DOC levels were found in plasma andurine. In contrast, DOC was elevated in 7 of 19 patients withprimary aldosteronism. These results do not support a DOCexcess hypothesis for the syndrome of low renin essential hypertension.