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Renin (Direct) Unit Converter
Direct Renin Concentration (DRC) is a measure of the mass of the renin protein in plasma. It is used alongside aldosterone to calculate the Aldosterone-Renin Ratio (ARR) for screening **Primary Aldosteronism**.
Modern automated immunoassays measure renin mass (Direct Renin) rather than activity (PRA). However, reporting units vary between manufacturers. This converter facilitates switching between international activity units (mU/L, μIU/mL) and mass units (ng/L, pg/mL).
Activity Units
Internationalmilli-Units per Liter (Numerically equivalent to μIU/mL).
Mass Units
Clinical Context
Reference Ranges:
• Upright: 4.4 – 46.1 mU/L (approx. 2.6 – 27.6 ng/L).
• Supine: 2.8 – 39.9 mU/L (approx. 1.7 – 23.9 ng/L).
Conversion Logic (WHO IS 68/356):
1 ng/L ≈ 1.67 mU/L.
1 mU/L ≈ 0.60 ng/L.
Note: This conversion is an approximation based on the WHO standard. Assay-specific factors may vary slightly (e.g., 1.6 to 1.7).
Clinical References
How to Use This Converter
Follow these steps to normalize Direct Renin values.
Enter Values
Input your laboratory results into the corresponding unit field (e.g., mU/L).
Automatic Conversion
The calculator converts between activity units (mU/L) and mass units (ng/L) using the standard factor 1.67.
Reset
Use the Clear button to reset all fields.
Frequently Asked Questions
No. PRA measures enzyme activity (generation of Angiotensin I), typically in ng/mL/hr. DRC measures the protein mass. They correlate but are not interchangeable.
This tool uses 1 ng/L = 1.67 mU/L, which is consistent with the WHO IS 68/356 standard used by many major assay manufacturers (e.g., Diasorin, Roche).