Plasma levels of an ouabain-like factor associated with an increased incidence of cerebral haemorrhage in one-kidney, one wrap hypertension in rabbits.

To examine the role of an ouabain-like factor (OLF) in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disease in hypertension, we examined plasma levels of OLF in a malignant form of one-kidney, one wrap (1K,1W) hypertension. Two weeks after the induction of hypertension plasma OLF increased to 282% compared to control animals. Additionally, blood pressure, the cardiac index, incidence of cerebral haemorrhage and vascular aneurysms were increased. Blood pressure was found to be inversely correlated with cardiac hypertrophy. No correlations between plasma OLF and blood pressure, cardiac hypertrophy or vascular aneurysms were found. However, hypertensive animals with cerebral haemorrhage had significantly higher plasma OLF than animals without cerebral haemorrhage. These results suggest that high plasma OLF in hypertensive subject may increase the risk of cerebral haemorrhage.