Difference in changes of plasma volume in two types of Goldblatt hypertension in rabbits.

High plasma renin concentration (PRC) and hematocrit (Ht) were observed in hypertensive rabbits with one renal artery clipped and an intact opposite kidney (Group A), while rather low PRC and Ht in hypertensive ones with one renal artery clipped and the opposite kidney removed (Group B). Plasma volume (PV), blood volume (BV), and packed cell volume (PCV) were estimated in these two types of hypertensive rabbits, and also in sham-operated rabbits (Group C). In Group A, 4 weeks after clipping of a renal artery, PV was decreased and significant inverse correlations were observed between PV and the elevation of blood pressure and between PV and PRC. A significant correlation between PRC and the elevation of blood pressure was also found 4 and 12 weeks after the clipping. PCV was increased until 12 weeks after clipping. In Group B, PV was increased 1 and 4 weeks after clipping, then returned to the initial level. Ht was decreased 1 and 12 weeks, and PCV was decreased 12 weeks after clipping. These results would indicate that a high Ht seen in Group A was partly due to the decreased PV and partly due to the increased PCV, while, in Group B, a low Ht in early stage might be mainly due to the increased PV, but in the late stage, a decreased PCV appeared to play a role to lower Ht. PRC seems to be affected differently by PV in these two types of hypertension.