Preliminary study on relationship between renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and hypertension in coal miners

AIM: To study the relationship between renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and hypertension in coal miners. METHODS: The coal miners received questionnaire investigation and their blood pressure, height and weight were measured, plasma renin activity (PRA), plasma angiotensin Ⅱ(Ang Ⅱ) and aldosterone (ALD) were tested by means of radio immunoassay in coal miners with hypertension and nor-hypertension. RESULTS: It was found that levels of PRA, Ang Ⅱ and ALD were significantly higher in hypertensive group than in nor-hypertensive group (all P<0.01), average blood pressure had positive correlation with levels of PRA, Ang Ⅱ and ALD in all miners (r=0.371, r=0.412 and r=0.352). In coal miners with hypertension, levels of PRA, Ang Ⅱand ALD were significantly higher in underpit operation group than in ground operation group (all P<0.01), and install-repair group's were highest in underpit operation group; Levels of PRA, Ang Ⅱand ALD were significantly higher in high-salt diet group than in normal diet group (all P<0.01), but there was no significant change in age, length of service, family history, body mass index, smoking and alcoholism on levels of PRA, Ang Ⅱ and ALD. CONCLUSION: The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system may potentially mediate underpit operation-and salt-induced hypertension pathogenesis in coal miners.