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 patiens, and in 38 female noirmal 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.