Associations between glycaemic control and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in participants with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension:

IntroductionHyperglycaemia increases succinate concentrations and succinate receptor activation in the kidney resulting in renin release. The aim of our study was to determine if there is an association between glycaemic control as evidenced by glycated haemoglobin values and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at Galway University Hospitals between December 2014 and March 2015. Participants (n = 66) were identified following interrogation of the electronic database for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Baseline clinical demographics, aldosterone, plasma renin activity, direct renin concentration, urea and electrolytes, glycated haemoglobin, cholesterol, urine sodium and albumin creatinine ratio were recorded.ResultsThere was a significant positive linear correlation between glycated haemoglobin and renin (both plasma renin activity [P = 0.002] and direct renin concentration [P ...