Renal: systemic renin indices and renal vein renin ratios as prognostic indicators in remedial renovascular hypertension.

Renovascular occlusive lesions account for the most common form of surgically correctable hypertension. Technical advances in vascular reconstructive surgery have increased the likelihood of renal parenchymal preservation and amelioration of hypertension in patients having renal artery stenoses. Proper selection of patients alleged to have renovascular hypertension for operative treatment is the most important determinant of a successful result. Measurements of systemic and renal vein renin activity have been used to define the functional significance of suspected renal artery occlusive lesions. Ischemic kidney renin hypersecretion associated with contralateral renin suppression has recently evolved as a potentially reliable index of surgical curability [24]. The present investigation was undertaken to determine the discriminatory value of two expressions of excessive plasma renin activity. The reliability of systemic:renin indices (RSRI) and renal vein renin ratios (RVRR) in predicting responses to operation for remedial renovascular hypertension was assessed.