Significance of estimated salt excretion as a possible predictor of the efficacy of concomitant angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) and low-dose thiazide in patients with ARB resistance.

The purpose of this study was to assess the factors affecting the efficacy of combination therapy with losartan and thiazide, with a focus on the significance of salt excretion, via a multicenter observational study. Adult patients with essential hypertension showing therapy resistance to angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) as a monotherapy or in combination with Ca channel blockers (CCB) were enrolled, and their previously administered ARBs were replaced with the combination tablet containing losartan (50 mg per day) and hydrochlorothiazide (12.5 mg per day). Blood pressure and biochemical parameters were monitored for a year. The baseline blood pressure (153.4±14.8/86.4±11.3 mm Hg) was significantly lowered at the 3rd month (137.3±17.4/78.2±11.1 mm Hg, n=93) and was maintained at this lower level until the 12th month (135.3±14.0/76.4±11.1 mm Hg, n=74). The baseline value of estimated salt excretion (eSE), calculated using Tanaka's formula, differed significantly between the high and low treatment response groups, which were defined by the average change in mean blood pressure (MBP-C, -11.3 mm Hg; eSE=10.8±2.9 g per day in high responders vs. 9.2±2.3 g per day in low responders, P=0.004). Univariate and multivariate analyses showed a significant correlation between eSE and MBP-C (R=-0.288, P=0.007) and indicated the clinical effectiveness of eSE as a possible predictor for MBP-C (P=0.021). In addition, the urine Na-to-Cr ratio (NCR) demonstrated significant correlations with eSE (R=0.848, P<0.001) and MBP-C (R=-0.344, P<0.001). These results suggest that eSE or NCR could, to a certain extent, predict the efficacy of combination therapy with losartan and low-dose thiazide in patients demonstrating ARB resistance. Combination therapy with losartan and thiazide might thus be suitable for patients with a large amount of salt excretion.

Subsegmental transcatheter arterial embolization for small hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The evaluation of long-term outcome of subsegmental transcatheter arterial embolization, which was designed to bring about sufficient anti-tumor effect, in the primary cases of small hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODOLOGY: We analyzed and compared the anti-tumor effect and the survival rate in the primary cases of solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma (< or = 3 cm) with cirrhosis treated by subsegmental transcatheter arterial embolization, chemolipiodolization or percutaneous ethanol injection therapy during the last eight years, retrospectively. RESULTS: The complete tumor necrosis by one session of subsegmental transcatheter arterial embolization, which means that treated tumor showed complete response and did not show local recurrence thereafter, was seen in approximately 50% of the cases. The rate of complete tumor necrosis was superior to that in the patients treated by chemolipiodolization although it was lower than that in the patients treated by percutaneous ethanol injection therapy. Both of the 5- and 7-year survival rates in the patients treated by subsegmental transcatheter arterial embolization were 41.2%. It was slightly higher than those in the other treatment groups without significant difference. CONCLUSIONS: Subsegmental transcatheter arterial embolization might be effectively performed as an initial treatment for the primary cases of the solitary small hepatocellular carcinoma when tumor was fully supplied by hepatic arterial blood regardless of small size.