HYPER-NEPHROMA AND HYPERTENSION - 2 CASE-REPORTS

  • 1 January 1981
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 209  (1-2) , 121-124
Abstract
Evaluation for hypertension revealed a hypernephroma in 2 patients and increased plasma renin concentrations (PRC) of 2.8 and 3.1 GU .times. 10-4/ml, respectively. In 1 patient, bilateral renal venous catheterization showed lateralization of PRC toward the tumor side in the ratio 10:3. She had secondary hyperaldosteronism with a plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) of 738 pmol/l and hypokalemia with a serum K level of 3.0 mmol/l. In the other patient, who had malignant hypertension, PAC was not measured but serum K was subnormal (3.3 mmol/l). After nephrectomy, blood pressure (BP), PRC and serum K returned to normal in both as did PAC in 1 patient. At regular follow-ups through 1 yr after nephrectomy, BP, PRC, PAC and serum K remained normal and metastases were not discovered. The increased incidence of hypernephroma in hypertensive patients underscores the importance of acknowledging this possibility during evaluation for hypertension.