• erythrocytes
• glycocalyx
• salt sensitivity
• hypertension

In patients with primary hypertension, it has been hypothesized that the level of suppressed plasma renin may be an indirect marker of sodium-induced volume expansion associated with more severe hypertension and hypertension-mediated organ damage. A new test for erythrocyte glycocalyx sensitivity to sodium (eGCSS) has been proposed as a direct measure of sodium-induced damage on erythrocyte surfaces and as a marker of endothelium salt sensitivity in humans. In this study, we look at the correlation of eCGSS with other blood and urinary parameters. Hypertensive subjects (n = 85, 54% male) were characterized by blood biochemistry (including plasma renin/aldosterone), urine analysis for albumin-creatinine ratio (ACR), 24-h urine sodium/potassium excretion. eGCSS was measured using a commercially available kit. Correlations between eGCSS and clinical and biochemical characteristics were explored using Spearman's correlation coefficient and characteristics compared across tertiles of eGCSS. eGCSS was inversely correlated with renin (p <0.05) while it was positively correlated with ACR (p <0.01). eGCSS was not correlated with other clinical characteristics or biochemical measures. These results suggest that sodium retention in hypertension characterized by a low-renin state is associated with cell membrane damage reflected by eGCSS. This may contribute to hypertension-mediated organ damage and the excess mortality associated with sodium overload and "salt sensitivity".