Abstract
Plasma Renin Activity (PRA), aldosterone (PA) and dopamine β hydroxylase activity (DBH) were simultaneously measured in 125 normal children, aged from one day to 15 years maintained in carefully controlled conditions. DBH increased with age from one day to 5 years; after this age DBH reached normal adulte values (15.5 IU ± 4.7 SEM). Before one year of age, PRA and PA were extremely high and widely distributed (PRA = 388 ng/l/mn ± 36.6 SEM; PA = 521 pg/ml ± 59.1 SEM). After this age, PRA and PA decreased simultaneously to reach normal adult values after 9 years of age (PRA = 46.1 ng/l/ mn ± 9.3 SEM; PA = 45.8 pg/ml ± 7.9 SEM). A correlation was found between the values of DBH and PRA (r = 0.404 p<.001) and of PRA and PA (r = 0.732 p<.001). In children, aged more than one year, the evolution of DBH, PRA and PA was related to the age (for DBH r = 0.478, p<.001; for PRA r = 0.742, p<.001; for PA r = 0.654, p<.001).
These results support the hypothesis that, in young children, the immaturity of the autonomic nervous system could be counterbalanced by an enhanced activity of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone axis.
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Dessart, Y., Annat, G., Vincent, M. et al. The evolution of Plasma Renin Activity, Aldosterone and Dopamine β hydroxylase activity from infancy to puberty. Pediatr Res 13, 82 (1979). https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197901000-00080
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1203/00006450-197901000-00080