Hypertension in a four-year-old child: gas chromatographic and mass spectrometric evidence for deficient hepatic metabolism of steroids.

A 4-yr-old boy with hypertension and hypokalaemic alkalosis had low plasma aldosterone levels and renin activity. The hypertension and hypokalemia responded to spironolactone and triamterene therapy. A partial response to dexamethasone was observed. Analysis of urinary steroid metabolites by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry showed that the excretion of metabolites of deoxycorticosterone and aldosterone was subnormal, and there was no evidence for sizeable excretion of unusual steroids with potential mineralocorticoid activity. The cortisol excretion rate, however, was subnormal, and the relative excretions of individual metabolites of this hormone were not typical. In particular, the excretion of tetrahydrocortisone was markedly reduced, and the excretions of allotetrahydrocortisol and free cortisol and metabolites were elevated. These findings suggest that modified or deficient metabolism of adrenal steroids could give rise to elevated blood pressure. It is not known whether the inappropriate production of unusual cortisol metabolites were responsbile for the high blood pressure or whether the altered metabolism is indicative of similar abnormality in the metabolism of other adrenal steroids, resulting in hyperproduction or extended half-life of minor but highly active mineralocorticoids of unknown structures.