Ionic and allied variations in normotensive and hypertensive diabetic patients.

Objective: To investigate the disturbances of serum and red cell electrolytes in association with membrane Na(+)-K(+)- ATPase activity as well as the status of serum Urea, Creatinine and osmolality in normotensive diabetic and hypertensive diabetic patients.

Methods: Thirty normotensive and thirty hypertensive patients (age and sex matched) were selected along with thirty control subjects. Erythrocytes were isolated from freshly drawn blood samples, washed and used for the estimation of sodium and potassium concentrations using flame photometer (Corning 410). Erythrocyte membranes were prepared for the estimation of Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity in terms of inorganic phosphate released/mg protein/hour. Serum glucose, creatinine and urea were determined by well-documented ortho toulidine, Jaffe's and diacetyl monoxime methods respectively. Osmomat 030 was used to estimate the plasma osmolality.

Results: The intra-erythrocyte sodium, serum glucose, urea, creatinine and osmolality were increased significantly in hypertensive diabetic patients as compared to normotensive diabetic patients whereas Na(+)-K(+)-ATPase activity, serum sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium were decreased significantly in hypertensive diabetic patients as compared to normotensive diabetic patients.

Conclusion: Results confirmed that there is a significant difference between normotensive and hypertensive diabetic patients with respect to their electrolyte metabolism and associated pathways. These results will notably help the physicians to treat diabetic patientswith associated morbidity like hypertension.