[Effects of age and length of service on the state of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and prostaglandin synthesis in coal miners].

Radioimmune assay determined serum renin activity, serum aldosterone level and its excretion with urine, amounts of thromboxane A2 (TxA2), prostacyclins PgI2 and PgF2a in urine of 76 apparently healthy miners before and after the working shift. Conventional techniques were used for estimation of blood and urine electrolytes and creatinine. In this connection activity of renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in the miners before and after the work appeared to depend on the age and the length of service, to reach the maximum at the age of 31-40 and at 11-15 years of the service. Afterwards the activity lowered. The miners older than 41 had RAAS response decreased or absent after the work. Ratio TxA2 PgI2 remained unchanged in the miners over age of 41, whereas in the younger miners the ratio considerably decreased during the work.