Outcomes of Hypertensive Patients with Renal Fibromuscular Dysplasia Compared with Patients with Concomitant Atherosclerotic Renal Artery Stenosis following Endovascular Therapy

Risks and benefits of renal artery stenting in fibromuscular dysplasia: Lessons from the ARCADIA-POL study

INTRODUCTION

Although renal stenting is the standard revascularization method for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (RAS) (FMD-RAS), stenting in fibromuscular dysplasia (FMD) RAS is usually limited to periprocedural complications of angioplasty and primary arterial dissection. The main aim of the study was to retrospectively analyze the immediate and long-term results of renal stenting versus angioplasty in patients with FMD.

METHODS

Of 343 patients in the ARCADIA-POL registry, 58 patients underwent percutaneous treatment due to FMD-RAS (in 70 arteries). Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) was performed as an initial treatment in 61 arteries (PTRA-group), whereas primary stenting was undertaken in nine arteries (stent-group). Stent-related complications were defined as: in-stent restenosis > 50% (ISR); stent fracture; under-expansion; or migration.

RESULTS

In the PTRA-group, the initial restenosis rate was 50.8%. A second procedure was then performed in 22 arteries: re-PTRA (12 arteries) or stenting (10 arteries). The incidence of recurrent restenosis after re-PTRA was 41.7%. Complications occurred in seven of 10 (70%) arteries secondarily treated by stenting: two with under-expansion and five with ISR. In the stent-group, stent under-expansion occurred in one case (11.1%) and ISR in three of nine stents (33.3%). In combined analysis of stented arteries, either primarily or secondarily, stent-related complications occurred in 11/19 stenting procedures (57.9%): three due to under-expansion and eight due to ISRs. Finally, despite several revascularization attempts, four of 19 (21%) stented arteries were totally occluded and one was significantly stenosed at follow-up imaging.

CONCLUSION

Our study indicates that renal stenting in FMD-RAS may carry a high risk of late complications, including stent occlusion. Further observational data from large-scale registries are required.

Outcomes Following the Endovascular Treatment of Renal Artery Stenosis Caused by Fibromuscular Dysplasia: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

OBJECTIVE

Renal artery revascularization has been performed to improve blood pressure control and to cure hypertension in patients with renal artery fibromuscular dysplasia (RAFMD). We herein conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies assessing outcomes associated with the treatment of hypertensive RAFMD patients via endovascular angioplasty in order to offer an up-to-date overview of the relative costs and benefits of this approach to revascularization in RAFMD patients.

METHODS

We systematically searched the PubMed and Embase databases and the Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials to identify relevant studies published as of January 15, 2020. Key outcomes of interest in these studies included technical success, the incidence of perioperative complications, cure rates, and overall improvement rates.

RESULTS

In total, we identified 36 relevant studies of 1916 total repairs conducted in 1191 patients. Of these included studies, 33 were retrospective, while 3 were prospective. The overall technical success rate across these studies was 94.3%. Rates of total, major, and minor complications in these pooled studies were 12.9%, 4.6%, and 7.4%, respectively. Pooled rates of cured hypertension and improved hypertension following angioplasty, defined according to study-specific criteria, were 37.0% [95% CI: 27.0%-47.0%] and 80.0% [95% CI: 75.0% to 84.0%], respectively, although these rates varied highly among studies. Cure rates for studies used current clinical definitions for substantial variations across studies. Cure rates in studies using current definitions of cured hypertension (blood pressure <140/90 mm Hg without treatment) were just 18.1% following angioplasty. Cure rates fell markedly with increasing mean patient age (OR associated with an increase in mean age of 10 years: -0.24 [95% CI: -0.44 to -0.04, P = 0.019] and with mean known duration of hypertension (OR associated with an increase in mean hypertension duration of 5 years: -0.09 [95% CI: -0.12 to -0.05, P = 0.001]).

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that endovascular treatment yielded moderate benefits to RAFMD patients, with substantial variation across studies. The blood pressure outcome was strongly influenced by patient age.

Fibromuscular dysplasia: A comprehensive review on evaluation and management and role for multidisciplinary comprehensive care and patient input model

Fibromuscular dysplasia is a nonatherosclerotic, under-recognized disorder primarily seen in middle-aged women. It can lead to several complications, such as hypertension, headaches, dissections, aneurysms, myocardial infarctions, and cerebrovascular accidents, to name a few. This article provides a comprehensive review of current literature on epidemiology, etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and long-term surveillance and fibromuscular dysplasia management. In addition, it renders the role of education and prevention for patients living with this condition and family screening. Lastly, it emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive multidisciplinary care model and patient input, given the complexity of this disease and its systemic presence and protean manifestations.

A rare case of spontaneous rupture of renal artery pseudoaneurysm in a previously hypertensive patient

Introduction. The renal artery and segmental renal artery pseudoaneurysm is a rare and usually asymptomatic vascular lesion which in most of the cases thrombose spontaneously, but at same time it can be a source of life-threatening hemorrhage and shock. Today, these pseudoaneurysms are discovered with increasing frequency due to unrelated abdominal imaging or on screening work-ups for hypertension, as well as widespread use of angiography. Typically, they are seen in patients after trauma, inflammation, or renal surgery or biopsy. Case outline. In our case, a 52-year-old male patient with no prior history of surgery, significant abdominal trauma and systemic disease, presented with left flank pain and signs of hypovolemic shock that manifested before the admission in the surgical emergency room. The CT scan promptly demonstrated rupture of large retroperitoneal hematoma with the massive intraperitoneal hemorrhage. The angiography confirmed the rupture of the renal artery pseudoaneurysm. The patient had the urgent operation. A life-saving nephrectomy was performed while intraperitoneal hemorrhage and retroperitoneal hematoma was evacuated. The fourteen days after surgery the patient was discharged fully recovered, with normal diuresis and serum levels of creatinine and urea within referential values. During the period of hospitalization, he was diagnosed and treated hypertension. Conclusion. Rupture of pseudoaneurysms with the following hemorrhage into the intraperitoneal cavity and retroperitoneum is a life-threatening condition, as proven with this case in which hypovolemic shock manifested before the admission. We would like to highlight the importance of high blood-pressure control and the importance of regular check-ups.