Abnormal leucocyte sodium transport in Chinese patients with essential hypertension and their normotensive offsprings.

We studied changes in intracellular electrolytes and the rate constant of 22Na efflux from isolated leucocytes in Chinese patients with essential hypertension and their normotensive offsprings. The hypertensives had an increase of sodium content and a reduction of the total or ouabain-sensitive 22Na efflux from leucocytes. The normotensives born of hypertensive parents showed lower sodium content, higher potassium content and reduced rate constant of ouabain-insensitive 22Na efflux from leucocytes. The results suggest that the inhibition of cell sodium pump activity may be a marker of essential hypertension. Abnormal cell sodium transport observed in normotensives with family history of hypertension may have some etiological linking with the inheritance of hypertension.