Aldosterone-to-renin ratio for diagnosing aldosterone-producing adenoma: a multicentre study.

BACKGROUND: Biological diagnostic criteria for diagnosing aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) are not well-established. AIM: The aim of the study was to establish the best biological predictors of APA. METHODS: A prospective register was implemented in 17 secondary or tertiary hypertension centres. The inclusion criterion was one of the following: onset of hypertension before 40 years of age; history of hypokalaemia; drug-resistant hypertension (resistant to three drugs); or spironolactone efficiency on BP. RESULTS: Among the 338 collected cases, 192 patients had two aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) determinations (after 1 hour supine and at least 1 hour upright) on the same occasion. Twenty-five patients (8.2%) had biological hyperaldosteronism and an adrenal adenoma identified by computed tomography. APA was histologically confirmed in all 12 patients who underwent surgery. Histologically proven APAs were used as the 'gold standard' in receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis. ARRs were computed with a minimum renin value set at 5 ng/L to avoid misclassification of so-called 'low-renin hypertension'. To predict an APA, the ARR area under the ROC curve was 0.93. A supine ARR cut-off value of 32ng/ng provided the highest sum of sensitivity (92%) plus specificity (92%). On the basis of an ARR≥32 ng/ng in the supine and/or upright position, sensitivity reached 100%. CONCLUSION: The proposed cut-off value of 32 ng/ng for ARR (minimum renin value set at 5 ng/L) in one of two determinations had 100% sensitivity and 72% specificity with 20% positive and 100% negative predictive values for diagnosing APA.

Blood pressure and renal outcomes in patients with kidney infarction and hypertension.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the causes and frequency of kidney infarction associated with hypertension, and the blood pressure and renal function outcomes. METHODS: We analyzed the records of patients with kidney infarction documented by angiography and referred to a hypertension unit. RESULTS: Spontaneous kidney infarction was documented in 55 of 18,287 patients and was associated with renal artery disease in 41 cases. Twenty-five patients had a longstanding history of hypertension at referral, and 30 patients presented with acute hypertension. Patients with acute hypertension were more likely to report a history of lumbar pain and to develop malignant hypertension than patients with longstanding hypertension; they also had higher plasma renin concentrations. Data for long-term follow-up after referral were available for 36 patients, including 15 patients who underwent surgery or renal artery angioplasty. From referral to most recent follow-up, the blood pressure decreased from 176/111 to 143/89 mmHg in patients with longstanding hypertension, and from 183/111 to 127/80 mmHg in those with acute hypertension (P = 0.007/0.041 for between-group differences). Three patients with acute hypertension had normal blood pressure without treatment at follow-up. Patients with long-term follow-up displayed no change in the glomerular filtration rate. CONCLUSION: Kidney infarction is a rare cause of hypertension, usually associated with renal artery lesions. In cases of kidney infarction with acute hypertension, the blood pressure outcome is favorable following intervention and/or medication, and hypertension may resolve spontaneously.

Blunt renal trauma-induced hypertension: prevalence, presentation, and outcome.

BACKGROUND: Blunt renal trauma (RT) may cause hypertension. We assessed the frequency and mechanisms of RT, and blood pressure (BP) outcome after treatment. METHODS: We searched the records of all patients referred to our hypertension unit and included those of previously normotensive patients who developed hypertension within 6 months of RT. RESULTS: Ten of the 17,410 referred patients, with a median age of 26 years, developed hypertension 0 to 3 months after a well-documented RT. Median BP at referral was 170/107 mm Hg. Median glomerular filtration rate was 89 mL/min. Five patients had hematuria. Median kidney length was 107 mm on the damaged side and 114 mm on the opposite side. Renal artery lesions were present in six cases. A pattern of unilateral renin hypersecretion and contralateral suppression was present in five of eight cases with unilateral RT. Six patients underwent surgery. Seven months after referral, median BP was 128/79 mm Hg. The BP was <140/90 mm Hg without medication in one patient who did not undergo surgery and in three patients who did. CONCLUSIONS: Renal trauma is a rare cause of hypertension, mostly in young men. Hypertension is usually renin dependent and associated with parenchymal injury. The RT-induced hypertension may resolve spontaneously and is amenable to surgery.

[Influence of recent trials on essential arterial hypertension management]. / Apport des essais thérapeutiques récents pour le traitement de l'hypertension artérielle essentielle.

Following recent trials, U.S (JNC7), European (ESH/ESC) and world (WHO) guidelines concerning the management of arterial essential hypertension have recently been updated. They indicate that hypertension treatment may succeed in preventing complications such as stroke or myocardial infarction. The therapeutic target is less than 140/90 mmHg (130/80 mmHg for diabetics). To reach this objective, a combination using a diuretic is required in almost all cases. Trials comparing the efficiency of "old drugs" such as diuretics or beta-blockers with "new drugs" such as ACEI or ARAII, or CCB observed minor differences in terms of cardiovascular outcomes. However, ACEI and ARAII appeared to be of particular efficiency in preventing heart and kidney failures.