Urinary dopamine, sodium handling, and blood pressure in a bi-ethnic South African population: the SABPA study

The lower levels of urinary dopamine in the Black group as compared to their White counterparts could be explained by the higher urinary dopamine metabolite levels in the Black group, due to a possible higher rate in the metabolism of urinary dopamine and low potassium levels observed in this group. The unique negative association between urinary dopamine and Na/K_{-_}ratio only in the Black participants suggest that potassium may contribute significantly to the renal sodium-handling properties of renal dopamine in Black populations.