Abstract Background and Aims A recent study demonstrated female rats more rapidly excreted urine sodium and water under saline bolus infusion than male rats, and suggested sexual dimorphisms in renal transporters. However, the sexual differences in renal salt and water excretion was not yet investigated with human data. We purposed to clarify whether the sexual difference of natriuretic and diuretic ability exists, and it contributes to decreasing blood pressure (BP) in nondiabetic chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Method This is a secondary analysis of an open-label, randomized, controlled study determining the effect of intensive low-salt diet education on BP and albuminuria in nondiabetic CKD patients. A total of 235 patients had stopped all renin-angiotensin blocking agents or diuretics during a run-in period for eight weeks (0w). After the run-in period, they received olmesartan (40mg daily) for eight weeks (8w), and then maintained the same medicine with low-salt diet education for an additional eight weeks (16w). Results Mean age of premenopausal women (n=50), same-aged young men (n=76), postmenopausal women (n=68), and same-aged older men (n=41) was 40.7, 40.2, 59.0, and 69.9 years old, respectively. Their MDRD eGFR was 76.2, 71.6, 59.8, and 58.8 mL/min/1.73m2, respectively. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) was lower in premenopausal women (129/79 mmHg) than in young men (134/83 mmHg). Daily salt intake decreased in 16w in premenopausal women (1839 → 1288mg, p=0.008) and young men (2494 → 1552mg, p=0.001) compared with them in 0w, while there was no significant change in postmenopausal women (2443 → 2171mg, p=0.610) and older men (2870 → 2366mg, p=0.458). Except for the premenopausal women (136 (0w) → 133 (16w) mEq/day, p=0.749), urine sodium excretion for 24 hours significantly decreased in 16w compared with that in 0w or 8w (young men: 154 (8w) → 137 (16w)mEq/day p=0.042, postmenopausal women: 152 (0w) → 128m (16w)Eq/day p=0.016, older men: 181 (0w) → 145 (16w)mEq/day p=0.019). Also, urine volume was significantly larger in the premenopausal women than in young men in 8w and 16w (8w: 1009 vs. 980mL p=0.002, 16w: 1004 vs. 978mL, p=0.006), while it was not different between postmenopausal women and older men (8w: 1002 vs. 990 p=0.347, 16w: 1003 vs. 1001 p=0.895). The urine volume was positively correlated with BP in the premenopausal women, while it was negatively associated with BP in young men in 16w. Conclusion Although sodium intake was similarly decreased in premenopausal women and young men, urine sodium excretion did not fall, and urine volume increased in premenopausal women. This phenomenon disappeared in postmenopausal women. Augmented natriuretic and diuretic potency might contribute to lower BP in premenopausal women with nondiabetic CKD.
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