Urinary prostaglandin e2 excretion in chronic renal disease

To ascertain whether renal prostaglandin E₂ production is impaired in chronic renal disease we measured urinary prostaglandin E₂ in 25 female renal patients, and in 38 female normal volunteers. Prostaglandin E₂ averaged 337 ± 63 ng/24 hr in 25 female renal patients, which was significantly higher (P < 0.01) than values in normal female subjects (166 ± 17 ng/24 hr). None of the renal patients excreted less than 50 ng/24 hr, whereas normals when treated with indomethacin averaged 30 ± 10 ng/24 hr (n=8). There were no significant correlations between prostaglandin E₂ and creatinine clearance, or urine volume. No difference in prostaglandin E₂ was encountered between hypertensive and normotensive renal patients. Our results indicate that renal prostaglandin E₂ production is increased rather than decreased in renal disease. The failure to demonstrate decreased urinary prostaglandin E2 excretion in renal hypertension sharply contrasts with the situation in essential hypertension.