Red blood cell sodium lithium countertransport is a genetic marker of hypertension in several ethnic groups. It reflects the sodium-hydrogen antiport activity in renal tubules. Several recent studies showed an association between sodium-lithium countertransport and predisposition to diabetic nephropathy. We are studying the relationships between sodium-lithium countertransport, nephropathy, and blood pressure in a sample of 200 Pima Indians.
