Renal plasma flow, filtration fraction and microalbuminuria in hypertensive patients: Effects of chronic smoking

Albumin excretion rate is usually increased in people who smoke, but the physiological basis of this phenomenon is not fully understood. METHODS: The effect of chronic smoking on renal haemodynamics was studied in a cohort of 66 men. Twenty-seven were smokers and 36 were hypertensive. In all subjects, the albumin excretion rate was evaluated; in hypertensive patients, a renoscintigraphic evaluation of renal plasma flow and glomerular filtration were carried out and the filtration fraction was calculated. RESULTS: The hypertensive smoking population presented an increased urinary albumin excretion rate in comparison with hypertensive non-smoking patients. No significant differences were found for the mean values of renal plasma flow, the glomerular filtration rate and the filtration fraction between hypertensive smokers and hypertensive non-smoking patients. CONCLUSIONS: In hypertensive patients, smoking does not modify typical renal haemodynamic changes of arterial hypertension; however, it significantly increases the albumin excretion rate.