Plasma Levels and Renal Clearance of two Isomers of Dopamine Sulfate in Patients with Essential Hypertension

Abstract
Two isomers of dopamine sulfate, dopamine 3–0–sulfate(3–O–S) and dopamine 4–O–sulfate(4–O–S), in the plasma and urine of patients with essential hypertension and normotensive controls were measured by HPLC-fluorometry. The plasma level of 3–O–S was significantly higher in patients with essential hypertension than in normotensive controls (20.9 ± 2.2 pmol/ml and 16.3±1.4 pmol/ml respectively, p<0.05) and the plasma levels of 4–O–S were slightly increased in hypertensive patients. The plasma level of 3–O–S was correlated with the serum level of creatinine in both normotensives and hypertensives. In hypertensives, the plasma level of 3–O–S was also correlated with that of noradrenaline. However the creatinine clearances were similar in the two groups, the urinary clearance of 3–O–S was slightly lower in patients with essential hypertension than in normotensive controls. These data indicate that the plasma level of 3–O–S is elevated in essential hypertension because of the abnormality in dopaminergic metabolism and renal disturbance in its excretion.