Abstract (EN):
Background Hypertension is one of the main side-effects of long-term therapy with ciclosporin. However, the influence of salt intake on the 24-h mean blood pressure of patients with psoriasis treated with ciclosporin is not known.
Objectives To evaluate, in patients with psoriasis, the sodium sensitivity of the ciclosporin-induced rise in blood pressure.
Methods The 24-h ambulatory blood pressure was evaluated in 13 patients with psoriasis (age range 20–57 years) in two phases, before (phase I) and after the completion of 4 months of therapy with ciclosporin 3 mg kg1 daily (phase II). In both phases, the patients were studied in conditions of low sodium (LS) intake followed by a high sodium (HS) diet.
Results Twenty-four-hour mean ± SD blood pressure during LS and HS intake was, respectively, 86·3 ± 1·6 mmHg and 85·5 ± 1·8 mmHg during phase I, and 88·5 ± 1·5 mmHg and 91·8 ± 2·2 mmHg (P < 0·001 vs. phase I, HS; P < 0·05 vs. phase II, LS) during phase II. The median (interquartile range) sodium sensitivity index was greater during phase II than during phase I: − 0·0028 (− 0·0071 to 0·0009) vs. 0·0065 (– 0·0055 to 0·0258) (P < 0·02). The plasma levels and the daily urinary excretion of noradrenaline did not differ between phases I and II.
Conclusions The ciclosporin-induced rise in blood pressure is sodium sensitive. It is also suggested that sympathetic activation is not involved in the pathogenesis of ciclosporin-induced rise in blood pressure.
Language:
Portuguese
Type (Professor's evaluation):
Scientific
Contact:
mpestana@med.up.pt