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HelpMayo Test ID PRA Renin Activity, Plasma
Specimen Required
Patient Preparation: For 4 to 6 weeks before specimen collection, spironolactone (Aldactone) should be discontinued, as plasma renin activity cannot be interpreted if the patient is being treated with spironolactone.
Collection Container/Tube: Chilled, lavender top (EDTA)
Submission Container/Tube: Plastic vial
Specimen Volume: 0.8 mL
Collection Instructions:
1. Draw blood in a chilled syringe from a patient in a seated position; place specimen in a chilled, 3-mL lavender-top (EDTA) tube and mix well. Alternatively, draw blood directly in a chilled, EDTA tube.
2. Immediately place EDTA tube into an ice-water bath until thoroughly cooled.
3. Immediately centrifuge using a refrigerated centrifuge and aliquot plasma into a plastic vial.
Note: If a refrigerated centrifuge is unavailable, chill the centrifuge carriers before use. Centrifuge specimen for 5 minutes or less, then promptly aliquot plasma into a plastic vial.
4. Immediately freeze plasma.
Useful For
Investigation of primary aldosteronism (eg, adrenal adenoma/carcinoma and adrenal cortical hyperplasia) and secondary aldosteronism (renovascular disease, salt depletion, potassium loading, cardiac failure with ascites, pregnancy, Bartter syndrome)
This test is not useful for determination of plasma renin concentration.
Special Instructions
Method Name
Liquid Chromatography Tandem Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS/MS)
Portions of this test are covered by patents held by Quest Diagnostics
Reporting Name
Renin Activity, PSpecimen Type
Plasma EDTASpecimen Minimum Volume
0.5 mL
Specimen Stability Information
| Specimen Type | Temperature | Time | Special Container |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plasma EDTA | Frozen | 14 days |
Reject Due To
| Gross hemolysis | Reject |
| Gross lipemia | OK |
| Gross icterus | OK |
Clinical Information
The renal juxtaglomerular apparatus generates renin, an enzyme that converts angiotensinogen to angiotensin I. The inactive angiotensin I is enzymatically converted to the active octapeptide angiotensin II, a potent vasopressor responsible for hypertension of renal origin. Angiotensin II also stimulates the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex to release aldosterone.
Renin secretion by the kidney is stimulated by a fall in glomerular blood pressure, by decreased sodium concentration at the macula densa at the distal tubule, or by stimulation of sympathetic outflow to the kidney, such as in renal vascular diseases.
Reference Values
0-2 years: 4.6 ng/mL/h (mean)* Range: 1.4-7.8 ng/mL/h
3-5 years: 2.5 ng/mL/h (mean)* Range: 1.5-3.5 ng/mL/h
6-8 years: 1.4 ng/mL/h (mean)* Range: 0.8-2.0 ng/mL/h
9-11 years: 1.9 ng/mL/h (mean)* Range: 0.9-2.9 ng/mL/h
12-17 years: 1.8 ng/mL/h (mean)* Range: 1.2-2.4 ng/mL/h
Mean data not standardized as to time of day or diet. Infants were supine, children sitting.
*Stalker HP, Holland NH, Kotchen JM, Kotchen TA. Plasma renin activity in healthy children. J Pediatr. 1976;89(2):256-258
Na-depleted, upright (peripheral vein specimen)
18-39 years: 10.8 ng/mL/h (mean)
2.9-24.0 ng/mL/h (range)
≥40 years: 5.9 ng/mL/h (mean)
2.9-10.8 ng/mL/h (range)
Na-replete, upright (peripheral vein specimen)
18-39 years: 1.9 ng/mL/h (mean)
≤0.6-4.3 ng/mL/hour (range)
≥40 years: 1.0 ng/mL/h (mean)
≤0.6-3.0 ng/mL/h (range)
Interpretation
A high ratio of serum aldosterone (SA) in ng/dL to plasma renin activity (PRA) in ng/mL/h, is a positive screening test result, a finding that warrants further testing. A SA:PRA ratio greater than or equal to 20 and SA of greater than or equal to 15 ng/dL indicates probable primary aldosteronism.
Kidney disease, such as unilateral renal artery stenosis, results in elevated renin and aldosterone levels. Kidney venous catheterization may be helpful. A positive test is a renal venous renin ratio (affected:normal) above 1.5.
For more information see Renin-Aldosterone Studies.
Cautions
Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors have the potential to falsely elevate plasma renin activity (PRA). Therefore, in a patient treated with an ACE inhibitor, the findings of a detectable PRA level or a low serum aldosterone/PRA ratio do not exclude the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism. In addition, a strong predictor for primary aldosteronism is a PRA level undetectably low in a patient taking an ACE inhibitor.
Clinical Reference
1. Young WF Jr. Primary aldosteronism: A common and curable form of hypertension. Cardiol Rev. 1999;7(4):207-214
2. Young WF Jr. Pheochromocytoma and primary aldosteronism: diagnostic approaches. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am. 1997;26(4):801-827. doi:10.1016/s0889-8529(05)70283-8
3. Haber E, Koerner T, Page LB, Kliman B, Purnode A. Application of a radioimmunoassay for angiotensin I to the physiologic measurements of plasma renin activity in normal human subjects. J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1969;29(10):1349-1355. doi:10.1210/jcem-29-10-1349
4. Baudrand R, Vaidya A. The low-renin hypertension phenotype: genetics and the role of the mineralocorticoid receptor. Int J Mol Sci. 2018;19(2):546. doi:10.3390/ijms19020546
Method Description
The renin in plasma is allowed to act on the plasma's endogenous substrate, angiotensinogen, producing angiotensin I. This is measured by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Renin activity is expressed in ng of angiotensin produced per mL of plasma per hour of incubation.
The primary metabolite of renin activity, angiotensin I, is cleaved by converting enzyme to angiotensin II. By inhibiting the action of converting enzyme and the angiotensinases with EDTA, dimercaprol (BAL) and 8-hydroxyquinoline, it is possible to indirectly measure the activity of renin during a controlled incubation by measuring the concentration (in ng) of angiotensin I that is generated.
Plasma is mixed with generation buffer in two microtiter plates, which are then incubated: one at 0° C and the other at 37° C for 1 hour. During incubation, internal standard (IS) and reagent are added to the 0° C mixture. After incubation, IS and reagent are added to the 37° C mixture. The plates are then centrifuged, and the supernatant layers transferred to clean microtiter plates. The reagents are evaporated under nitrogen, reconstituted, and the angiotensin I analyzed by LC-MS/MS.(Bruton J, Singh RJ, Grebe SK, Ladwig P, Barnidge D. Sensitive and rapid determination of angiotensin I utilizing on-line extraction and LC-MS/MS [Abstract D-64] Clin Chem. 2007;53(Suppl):A180–A181)
Day(s) Performed
Monday through Friday, Sunday
Report Available
2 to 5 daysSpecimen Retention Time
14 daysPerforming Laboratory
Mayo Clinic Laboratories in Rochester
Test Classification
This test was developed and its performance characteristics determined by Mayo Clinic in a manner consistent with CLIA requirements. It has not been cleared or approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.CPT Code Information
84244
LOINC Code Information
| Test ID | Test Order Name | Order LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| PRA | Renin Activity, P | 2915-7 |
| Result ID | Test Result Name | Result LOINC Value |
|---|---|---|
| 8060 | Renin Activity, P | 2915-7 |