ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (ARAS) is associated with progressive loss of renal function and is one of the most important causes of renal failure in the elderly. Current treatment includes restoration of the renal arterial lumen by endovascular stent placement. However, this treatment only affects damage caused by ARAS due to the stenosis and ensuing post-stenotic ischemia. ARAS patients have severe general vascular disease. Atherosclerosis and hypertension can also damage the kidney parenchyma causing renal failure. Medical treatment focuses on the latter. Lipid-lowering drugs (statins) could reduce renal failure progression and could reduce the overall high cardiovascular risk. The additional effect on preserving renal function of stent placement as compared to medical therapy alone is unknown. Therefore, the STAR-study aims to compare the effects of renal artery stent placement together with medication vs. medication alone on renal function in ARAS patients. METHOD: Patients with an ARAS of > or = 50% and renal failure (creatinine (Cr) clearance < 80 mL/min/1.73 m2) are randomly assigned to stent placement with medication or to medication alone. Medication consists of statins, anti-hypertensive drugs and antiplatelet therapy. Patients are followed for 2 yrs with extended follow-up to 5 yrs. The primary outcome of this study is a reduction in Cr clearance > 20% compared to baseline. This trial will include 140 patients.
Subject(s)
Antihypertensive Agents/therapeutic use , Arteriosclerosis/therapy , Heptanoic Acids/therapeutic use , Hydroxymethylglutaryl-CoA Reductase Inhibitors/therapeutic use , Pyrroles/therapeutic use , Renal Artery Obstruction/therapy , Renal Artery , Stents , Angioplasty, Balloon , Arteriosclerosis/complications , Arteriosclerosis/physiopathology , Atorvastatin , Combined Modality Therapy , Disease Progression , Humans , Kidney/physiopathology , Renal Artery Obstruction/etiology , Renal Artery Obstruction/physiopathology , Research DesignABSTRACT
We report a 25-year-old woman presenting with a flaccid paresis due to severe hypokalaemia as a consequence of distal renal tubular acidosis (dRTA). Six years after presentation of dRTA, she developed overt symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). dRTA in SLE is often secondary to an interstitial nephritis. In contrast to other reports the dRTA did not resolve after treatment with prednisone in our patient. Nephrocalcinosis might be one of the causal factors in the persistence of dRTA.
