The kallikrein-kinin system is involved in the regulation of blood pressure. The previous studies have shown a correlation between the family history of hypertension and decreased urinary kallikrein excretion (UKE). In order to analyse this issue further, we evaluated UKE, blood pressure, plasma renin activity (PRA) and plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) as well as urinary excretion of sodium and potassium (uNa+ and uK+, respectively) in 85 normotensive young lean adults classified according to the prevalence of essential hypertension in parents. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) in offsprings of both hypertensive parents (FH/P group) was significantly higher but in normal range when compared with offsprings of both normotensive parents (NFH group). The UKE in offsprings of either hypertensive mother or hypertensive father (FH/M or FH/F group, respectively) was only slightly lower when compared with values in NFH group. In contrast, the UKE in offsprings of both hypertensive parents was significantly lower when compared with NFH subjects. According to phenotype of kallikrein excretion, the participants were classified as Low Kallikrein (LK, UKE at and below 3.8 nkat/24h, n=27), Intermediate Kallikrein (IK, UKE 4.3Ð10.5 nkat/24h, n=49) and High Kallikrein (HK, UKE at and above 14.4 nkat/24h, n=9). There were no significant differences in frequency of particular phenotype among NFH, FH/M, FH/F and FH/P groups. The only PRA was significantly lower in LK group as compared with non-LK group. The weak but significant correlation between UKE and PRA as well as between UKE and uK+ has been found in the whole studied group. Our results confirm the interrelationship between low UKE and family history of hypertension.
key words: urinary kallikrein excretion, family history of hypertension

Keywords: family history of hypertension, urinary kallikrein excretion