Proteinuria in renovascular hypertension and the effects of renal angioplasty.

In 46 patients with renovascular hypertension who underwent renal angioplasty, proteinuria (more than 150 mg/24 hours) was more pronounced than in patients with essential hypertension. The highest levels were seen in patients in whom 1 renal artery was totally occluded. There was no difference between patients with unilateral vs bilateral renal artery stenosis. Proteinuria could not be correlated with serum creatinine level, and in 28% of the patients with renovascular hypertension, proteinuria was present despite a normal creatinine level. Renal angioplasty produced a significant diminution in proteinuria when it resulted in a cure of the hypertension, but no diminution was achieved if blood pressure did not decrease.