Deterioration rate in hypertensive IgA nephropathy: comparison of a converting enzyme inhibitor and beta-blocking agents.

The effect of beta-blocking agents and enalapril as antihypertensive drugs has been compared in 47 patients with IgA nephropathy. The deterioration rate was calculated from the regression line of 51Cr-EDTA clearance and expressed in ml/min/year. The annual loss in glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was greater in patients treated with different beta-blocking agents (-4.9 +/- 6.8 ml/min/year) compared to patients treated with Enalapril (1.7 +/- 7.4 ml/min/year), in spite of the fact that these patients had a lower initial GFR. Nine patients were initially treated with beta-blocking agents (-9.5 +/- 9.3 ml/min/year) and then with an angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor (5.5 +/- 11.2 ml/min/year). Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors should therefore be preferred in the treatment of hypertension in IgA nephropathy.