Levels of renin, angiotensin I and II, angiotensin-converting enzyme and aldosterone in infancy and childhood

Basal plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensin I and II (AI, AII), angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) activity and plasma aldosterone (PA) and sodium and potassium concentration were simultaneously measured in 55 healthy recumbent children aged between 1 week and 13 years. A significant (P<0.001) age-related decrease for PRA (r=-0.73), AI (r=-0.72), AII (r=-0.51) and PA (r=-0.71) was observed but not for ACE (r=0.26, P=0.06). After correction for age the correlation between PRA or PA and AI or AII was still significant (P<0.005). The strong correlation between AI and AII in the group as a whole (r=0.82, P<0.001) and also in separate age groups, and an AI to AII ratio which was not different between the various age groups suggest that ACE activity in this age range is not rate-limiting for AII generation.