ED 04-3 ASSESSMENT OF RENAL FUNCTION DURING FOLLOW UP OF HYPERTENSIVE SUBJECTS.

The presence of chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a strong risk factor not only for end stage kidney disease (ESKD) but also cerebro-cardiovascular disease (CVD). CKD is defined as GFR < 60ml/min/1.73m and/or the evidence of renal damages for more than 3 months. Epidemiological studies have shown that albuminuria even as little as 10mg/gCr is a strong risk factor for CVD, especially stroke. The significance of albuminuria can be recognized when we think of the fact that the amount of albumin in 24 hour-GFR is as large as 6 kg (4.0g/dL × 150 L/day) in normal: why such a miniscule amount of albumin in urine (as little as 10 mg of 6 kg) can be so closely related to CVD even in the presence of normal GFR? We have pointed out that in vital organs such as brain, heart and kidney, there are unique circulatory system where microvessels are branched off directly from large high pressure arteries. We refer these vessel as Strain Vessel, and have shown that close linkage between microalbuminuria CVD is based on strain vessel injuries. In addition, we have recently shown that urine pH is associated with vascular and renal damages. In this lecture, I will discuss the meaning of measurement of urinary protein (albumin) and pH as well as renal function during follow up of hypertensive subjects.