Rate of change in renal function and mortality in elderly treated hypertensive patients

Ultra-long-term efficacy and safety of catheter-based renal denervation in resistant hypertension: 10-year follow-up outcomes

BACKGROUND

Randomized sham-controlled trials have confirmed the efficacy and safety of catheter-based renal denervation in hypertension. Data on the very long-term effects of renal denervation are scarce.

AIMS

This study evaluates the 10-year safety and efficacy of renal denervation in resistant hypertension.

METHODS

This prospective single-center study included patients with resistant hypertension undergoing radio-frequency renal denervation between 2010 and 2012. Office blood pressure, 24-h ambulatory blood pressure, antihypertensive medication, color duplex sonography, and renal function were assessed after 1-, 2- and 10-years.

RESULTS

Thirty-nine patients completed the 10-year follow-up (mean follow-up duration 9.4 ± 0.7 years). Baseline office and 24-h ambulatory systolic blood pressure were 164 ± 23 mmHg and 153 ± 16 mmHg, respectively. After 10 years, 24-h ambulatory and office systolic blood pressure were reduced by 16 ± 17 mmHg (P < 0.001) and 14 ± 23 mmHg (P = 0.001), respectively. The number of antihypertensive drugs remained unchanged from 4.9 ± 1.4 to 4.5 ± 1.2 drugs (P = 0.087). The estimated glomerular filtration rate declined within the expected range from 69 (95% CI 63 to 74) to 60 mL/min/1.73m2 (95% CI 53 to 68; P < 0.001) through 10-year follow-up. Three renal artery interventions were documented for progression of pre-existing renal artery stenosis in two patients and one patient with new-onset renal artery stenosis. No other adverse events were observed during the follow-up.

CONCLUSION

Renal denervation was safe and sustainedly reduced ambulatory and office blood pressure out to 10 years in patients with resistant hypertension.

Safety and efficacy of renal sympathetic denervation: a 9-year long-term follow-up of 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurements

Background

Renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) has been shown to lower arterial blood pressure both in the presence and in the absence of antihypertensive medication in an observation period of up to 3 years. However, long-term results beyond 3 years are scarcely reported.

Methods

We performed a long-term follow-up on patients who were previously enrolled in a local renal denervation registry and who underwent radiofrequency RDN with the Symplicity Flex® renal denervation system between 2011 and 2014. The patients were assessed to evaluate their renal function by performing 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure measurement (ABPM), recording their medical history, and conducting laboratory tests.

Results

Ambulatory blood pressure readings for 24 h were available for 72 patients at long-term follow-up (FU) [9.3 years (IQR: 8.5-10.1)]. We found a significant reduction of ABP from 150.1/86.1 ± 16.9/12.0 mmHg at baseline to 138.3/77.1 ± 16.5/11.1 mmHg at long-term FU (P < 0.001 for both systolic and diastolic ABP). The number of antihypertensive medications used by the patients significantly decreased from 5.4 ± 1.5 at baseline to 4.8 ± 1.6 at long-term FU (P < 0.01). Renal function showed a significant but expected age-associated decrease in the eGFR from 87.8 (IQR: 81.0-100.0) to 72.5 (IQR: 55.8-86.8) ml/min/1.73 m² (P < 0.01) in patients with an initial eGFR > 60 ml/min/1.73 m², while a non-significant decrease was observed in patients with an initial eGFR < 60 ml/min/1.73 m² at long-term FU [56.0 (IQR: 40.9-58.4) vs. 39.0 (IQR: 13.5-56.3) ml/min/1.73 m²].

Conclusions

RDN was accompanied by a long-lasting reduction in blood pressure with a concomitant reduction in antihypertensive medication. No negative effects could be detected, especially with regard to renal function.

Favorable effect of renal denervation on elevated renal vascular resistance in patients with resistant hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Objective

To assess the effect of renal denervation (RDN) on renal vascular resistance and renal function in patients with drug-resistant hypertension (HTN) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Materials and methods

Fifty-nine patients (mean age 60.3 ± 7.9 years, 25 men) with resistant HTN [mean 24-h ambulatory blood pressure (BP) 158.0 ± 16.3/82.5 ± 12.7 mmHg, systolic/diastolic] and T2DM (mean HbA1c 7.5 ± 1.5%) were included in the single-arm prospective study and underwent RDN. Renal resistive index (RRI) derived from ultrasound Doppler; estimated glomerular filtration rate (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration formula), office and 24-h ambulatory BP were measured at baseline, 6, and 12 months after RDN to evaluate the respective changes in renal vascular resistance, renal function, and BP during treatment.

Results

Forty-three patients completed 12 months follow-up. The RRI changed depending on the baseline value. Specifically, the RRI decreased significantly in patients with elevated baseline RRI values ≥ 0.7 {n = 23; -0.024 [95% confidence interval (CI): -0.046, -0.002], p = 0.035} and did not change in those with baseline RRI < 0.7 [n = 36; 0.024 (95% CI: -0.002, 0.050), p = 0.069]. No significant change was observed in eGFR whereas BP was significantly reduced at 12 months after RDN by -10.9 (95% CI: -16.7, -5.0)/-5.5 (95% CI: -8.7, -2.4) mmHg, systolic/diastolic. No relationship was found between the changes in RRI and BP.

Conclusion

Our study shows that RDN can decrease elevated renal vascular resistance (RRI > 0.7) and stabilize kidney function in patients with RHTN and T2DM independently of its BP-lowering effect.

Serum Serine and the Risk of All-Cause Mortality: A Nested Case-Control Study From the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT)

Background

Serine plays a key role in numerous cellular processes, the levels and metabolism is therefore of critical importance. However, few data are available to illustrate the association of serine with long-term health effects, especially, the predictive value for long-term mortality.

Objective

This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship between serum serine levels and all-cause mortality in general hypertensive patients in a longitudinal cohort, and to examine the potential effect modifiers.

Methods

A nested case-control (NCC) study was conducted utilizing 20702 hypertensive participants from the China Stroke Primary Prevention Trial (CSPPT), a randomized, double-blind, actively controlled trial conducted from May 2008 to August 2013 in China. The current study included 291 cases of all-cause mortality and 291 controls matched on age (≤ 1 year), sex and treatment group. All-cause mortality was the main outcome in this analysis, which included death due to any reason.

Results

With the increase in serum serine levels, the risk of all-cause mortality first increased before flattening. After adjusting for related variables, the risk of mortality increased significantly with the increase of serum serine levels. Compared with group Q1, the mortality risk of group Q2, Q3 and Q4 were significantly increased [ORs, 95% CI: Q2: 2.32, (1.32–4.07); Q3: 2.59, (1.48–4.54); and Q4: 1.85, (1.07–3.22)]. In the exploratory analysis, we observed three effect modifiers, total homocysteine, 5-Methyltetrahydrofolate, and estimated glomerular filtration rate significantly modified the serum serine and all-cause mortality association.

Conclusion

Serum serine levels were significantly associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality in hypertensive patients. Our results and findings, if confirmed further, suggest that serum serine should be considered as a marker for screening risk factors of mortality.

Clinical Trial Registration

[https://www.clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/study/NCT00794885.], identifier [CSPPT, NCT00794885].

The Heritability of Kidney Function using an Older Australian Twin Population

Introduction

Twin studies are unique population models which estimate observed rather than inferred genetic components of complex traits. Nonmonogenic chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a complex disease process with strong genetic and environmental influences, amenable to twin studies. We aimed to assess the heritability of CKD using twin analysis and modeling within Older Australian Twin Study (OATS) data.

Methods

OATS had 109 dizygotic (DZ) and 126 monozygotic (MZ) twin pairs with paired serum creatinine levels. Heritability of kidney function as estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR CKD Epidemiology Collaboration [CKD-EPI]) was modeled using the ACE model to estimate additive heritability (A), common (C), and unique (E) environmental factors. Intratwin pair analysis using mixed effects logistic regression allowed analysis of variation in eGFR from established CKD risk factors.

Results

The median age was 69.71 (interquartile range 78.4–83.0) years, with 65% female, and a mean CKD-EPI of 82.8 ml/min (SD 6.7). The unadjusted ACE model determined kidney function to be 33% genetically determined (A), 18% shared genetic-environmental (C), and 49% because of unique environment (E). This remained unchanged when adjusted for age, hypertension, and sex. Hypertension was associated with eGFR; however, intertwin variance in hypertension did not explain variance in eGFR. Two or more hypertension medications were associated with decreased eGFR (P = 0.009).

Conclusion

This study estimates observed heritability at 33%, notably higher than inferred heritability in genome-wide association study (GWAS) (7.1%–18%). Epigenetics and other genomic phenomena may explain this heritability gap. Difference in antihypertension medications explains part of unique environmental exposures, though discordance in hypertension and diabetes does not.

Renal denervation for atrial fibrillation: a comprehensive updated systematic review and meta-analysis

The study aims to compare clinical outcomes following renal denervation (RDN) in hypertensive patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Three online databases were searched (MEDLINE, EMBASE and PubMed) for literature related to outcomes of RDN on hypertension and AF, between January 1, 2010, and June 1, 2021. Where possible, risk ratios (RR) and mean differences (MD) were combined using a random effects model. Significance was set at p ≤ 0.05. Seven trials were included that assessed the effect of adding RDN to pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) in patients with hypertension and AF. A total of 711 patients (329 undergoing PVI + RDN and 382 undergoing PVI alone), with an age range of 56 ± 6 to 68 ± 9 years, were included. Pooled analysis showed a significant lowering of AF recurrence in the PVI + RDN (31.3%) group compared to the PVI-only (52.9%) group (p < 0.00001). Pooled analysis of patients with resistant hypertension showed a significant mean reduction of systolic blood pressure (SBP) (-9.42 mm Hg, p = 0.05), but not diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (-4.11 mm Hg, p = 0.16) in favor of PVI + RDN. Additionally, the pooled analysis showed that PVI + RDN significantly improved estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) (+10.2 mL/min per 1.73 m², p < 0.001) compared to PVI alone. RDN procedures in these trials have proven to be both safe and efficacious with an overall complication rate of 6.32%. Combined PVI and RDN is beneficial for patients with hypertension and AF. Combined therapy showed improvement in SBP and eGFR, reducing the risk of AF recurrence. RDN may serve as an innovative intervention in the treatment of AF.

Guide de Pratique Clinique. Prise en charge de l’hypertension artérielle chez l’adulte en Tunisie

Ce document a été réalisé dans le cadre d'une collaboration entre l'Instance Nationale de l’Évaluation et de l'Accréditation en Santé (INEAS), la Société Tunisienne de Cardiologie et de Chirurgie Cardiovasculaire (STCCCV) et la Caisse Nationale d’Assurance Maladie (CNAM).

Chronic kidney disease progression in aged patients

PURPOSE

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a major morbidity, and its prevalence increases with age. However, there appears to be some confusion about the prognosis of CKD in aged patients, because, it has its own characteristics different from youngers. In this study, we investigated the progression of CKD and related factors in aged patients.

METHODS

This was a retrospective study including 334 patients over 80 years of age that were diagnosed with stage 3-4 CKD at our CKD clinic. CKD progression was assessed as an annual decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Comorbidities were globally categorized with the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI), but diabetes mellitus, hypertension, and cardiac morbidities were evaluated separately. Patients were grouped as either 'progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD)' or 'others'.

RESULTS

During the follow-up period, 191 (57.2%) patients exhibited progression; the annual median eGFR declined by 0.8 ml/min/1.73 m². Only 27 (8.1%) of these patients progressed to ESRD. In univariant and multivariate models, respectively, progressing to ESRD was significantly associated with cardiac comorbidities (p < 0.001, p < 0.001), proteinuria (p < 0.001, p = 0.03), and the baseline eGFR value (p < 0.001, p < 0.001).

CONCLUSION

In aged patients, CKD progressed slowly, but particularly high initial creatinine levels and proteinuria could be indicator of progression. In addition, cardiac comorbidities may facilitate progression to ESRD.

Antihypertensive effects and safety of esaxerenone in patients with moderate kidney dysfunction

Renin–angiotensin system inhibitors are recommended for treating hypertension with chronic kidney disease. The addition of a mineralocorticoid receptor blocker may be one option to achieve target blood pressure. We investigated the efficacy and safety of esaxerenone, a mineralocorticoid receptor blocker, in Japanese hypertensive patients with moderate kidney dysfunction. Two multicenter, open-label, nonrandomized dose escalation studies were conducted to investigate esaxerenone monotherapy and add-on therapy to renin–angiotensin system inhibitor treatment. Esaxerenone therapy was initiated at 1.25 mg/day and titrated to 2.5 and then 5 mg/day for a treatment duration of 12 weeks. Primary endpoints were changes from baseline in sitting systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Safety, pharmacokinetics, and urinary albumin-to-creatinine ratios were also assessed. Thirty-three patients received monotherapy, and 58 received add-on therapy; the mean baseline estimated glomerular filtration rates were 51.9 and 50.9 mL/min/1.73 m², respectively. The esaxerenone dosage was increased to ≥2.5 mg/day in 100% (n = 33) and 93.1% (n = 54) of patients receiving monotherapy and add-on therapy, respectively. Reductions in sitting blood pressure from baseline to the end of treatment were similar (monotherapy: −18.5/−8.8 mmHg; add-on therapy: −17.8/−8.1 mmHg; both P < 0.001). The antihypertensive effects of esaxerenone were consistent across patient subgroups. A serum K⁺ level ≥5.5 mEq/L was observed in seven patients (12.1%) receiving add-on therapy but in none receiving monotherapy. All increases in serum K⁺ levels were transient, and no patient met predefined serum K⁺ level criteria for dose reduction or therapy discontinuation. No patient discontinued treatment owing to kidney function decline. Esaxerenone was effective and well tolerated in hypertensive patients with moderate kidney dysfunction.

Effects of renal denervation on kidney function and long-term outcomes: 3-year follow-up from the Global SYMPLICITY Registry

Aims

Several studies and registries have demonstrated sustained reductions in blood pressure (BP) after renal denervation (RDN). The long-term safety and efficacy after RDN in real-world patients with uncontrolled hypertension, however, remains unknown. The objective of this study was to assess the long-term safety and efficacy of RDN, including its effects on renal function.

Methods and results

The Global SYMPLICITY Registry is a prospective, open-label registry conducted at 196 active sites worldwide in hypertensive patients receiving RDN treatment. Among 2237 patients enrolled and treated with the SYMPLICITY Flex catheter, 1742 were eligible for follow-up at 3 years. Baseline office and 24-h ambulatory systolic BP (SBP) were 166 ± 25 and 154 ± 18 mmHg, respectively. SBP reduction after RDN was sustained over 3 years, including decreases in both office (−16.5 ± 28.6 mmHg, P < 0.001) and 24-h ambulatory SBP (−8.0 ± 20.0 mmHg; P < 0.001). Twenty-one percent of patients had a baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 mL/min/1.73 m². Between baseline and 3 years, renal function declined by 7.1 mL/min/1.73 m² in patients without chronic kidney disease (CKD; eGFR ≥60 mL/min/1.73 m²; baseline eGFR 87 ± 17 mL/min/1.73 m²) and by 3.7 mL/min/1.73 m² in patients with CKD (eGFR <60 mL/min/1.73 m²; baseline eGFR 47 ± 11 mL/min/1.73 m²). No long-term safety concerns were observed following the RDN procedure.

Conclusion

Long-term data from the Global SYMPLICITY Registry representing the largest available cohort of hypertensive patients receiving RDN in a real-world clinical setting demonstrate both the safety and efficacy of the procedure with significant and sustained office and ambulatory BP reductions out to 3 years.

MALAT1: a therapeutic candidate for a broad spectrum of vascular and cardiorenal complications

Cardiovascular and renal complications cover a wide array of diseases. The most commonly known overlapping complications include cardiac and renal fibrosis, cardiomyopathy, cardiac hypertrophy, hypertension, and cardiorenal failure. The known or reported causes for the abovementioned complications include injury, ischemia, infection, and metabolic stress. To date, various targets have been reported and investigated in detail that are considered to be the cause of these complications. In the past 5 years, the role of noncoding RNAs has emerged in the area of cardiovascular and renal research, especially in relation to metabolic stress. The long noncoding RNA MALAT1 (metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1) has shown immense promise among the long noncoding RNA targets for treating cardiorenal complications. In this review, we shed light on the role of MALAT1 as a primary and novel target in treating cardiovascular and renal diseases as a whole.

Prognostic Value of the Estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate Decline in Hypertensive Patients Without Chronic Kidney Disease

BACKGROUND

Our objective of this study was to determine if rate of estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) decline and its intensity was associated with cardiovascular risk and death in patients with hypertension whose baseline eGFR was higher than 60 ml/minute/1.73 m2.

METHODS

This study comprised 2,516 patients with hypertension who had had at least 2 serum creatinine measurements over a 4-year period. An eGFR reduction of ≥10% per year has been deemed as high eGFR and a reduction in eGFR of less than 10% per year as a low decline. The end points were coronary artery disease, stroke, transitory ischemic accident, peripheral arterial disease, heart failure, atrial fibrillation, and death from any cause. Cox regression analyses adjusted for potentially confounding factors were conducted.

RESULTS

A total of 2,354 patients with low rate of eGFR decline and 149 with high rate of eGFR decline were analyzed. The adjusted model shows that a -10% rate of eGFR decline per year is associated with a higher risk of the primary end point (HR 1.9; 95% CI 1.1-3.5; P = 0.02) and arteriosclerotic vascular disease (HR 2.2; 95% CI 1.2-4.2; P < 0.001) in all hypertensive groups. The variables associated to high/low rate of eGFR decline in the logistic regression model were serum creatinine (OR 3.35; P < 0.001), gender, women (OR 15.3; P < 0.001), tobacco user (OR 1.9; P < 0.002), and pulse pressure (OR 0.99; P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

A rate of eGFR decline equal to or higher than -10% per year is a marker of cardiovascular risk for patients with arterial hypertension without chronic kidney disease at baseline. It may be useful to consider intensifying the global risk approach for these patients.

2018 ESC/ESH Guidelines for the management of arterial hypertension: The Task Force for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Hypertension: The Task Force for the management of arterial hypertension of the European Society of Cardiology and the European Society of Hypertension

: Document reviewers: Guy De Backer (ESC Review Co-ordinator) (Belgium), Anthony M. Heagerty (ESH Review Co-ordinator) (UK), Stefan Agewall (Norway), Murielle Bochud (Switzerland), Claudio Borghi (Italy), Pierre Boutouyrie (France), Jana Brguljan (Slovenia), Héctor Bueno (Spain), Enrico G. Caiani (Italy), Bo Carlberg (Sweden), Neil Chapman (UK), Renata Cifkova (Czech Republic), John G. F. Cleland (UK), Jean-Philippe Collet (France), Ioan Mircea Coman (Romania), Peter W. de Leeuw (The Netherlands), Victoria Delgado (The Netherlands), Paul Dendale (Belgium), Hans-Christoph Diener (Germany), Maria Dorobantu (Romania), Robert Fagard (Belgium), Csaba Farsang (Hungary), Marc Ferrini (France), Ian M. Graham (Ireland), Guido Grassi (Italy), Hermann Haller (Germany), F. D. Richard Hobbs (UK), Bojan Jelakovic (Croatia), Catriona Jennings (UK), Hugo A. Katus (Germany), Abraham A. Kroon (The Netherlands), Christophe Leclercq (France), Dragan Lovic (Serbia), Empar Lurbe (Spain), Athanasios J. Manolis (Greece), Theresa A. McDonagh (UK), Franz Messerli (Switzerland), Maria Lorenza Muiesan (Italy), Uwe Nixdorff (Germany), Michael Hecht Olsen (Denmark), Gianfranco Parati (Italy), Joep Perk (Sweden), Massimo Francesco Piepoli (Italy), Jorge Polonia (Portugal), Piotr Ponikowski (Poland), Dimitrios J. Richter (Greece), Stefano F. Rimoldi (Switzerland), Marco Roffi (Switzerland), Naveed Sattar (UK), Petar M. Seferovic (Serbia), Iain A. Simpson (UK), Miguel Sousa-Uva (Portugal), Alice V. Stanton (Ireland), Philippe van de Borne (Belgium), Panos Vardas (Greece), Massimo Volpe (Italy), Sven Wassmann (Germany), Stephan Windecker (Switzerland), Jose Luis Zamorano (Spain).The disclosure forms of all experts involved in the development of these Guidelines are available on the ESC website www.escardio.org/guidelines.

Treatment decisions for older adults with advanced chronic kidney disease

Dialysis initiation rates among older adults, aged 75 years or greater, are increasing at a faster rate than for younger age groups. Older adults with advanced CKD (eGFR < 30 ml/min/1.73 m2) typically lose renal function slowly, often suffer from significant comorbidity and thus may die from associated comorbidities before they require dialysis.A patient's pattern of renal function loss over time in relation to their underlying comorbidities can serve as a guide to the probability of a future dialysis requirement. Most who start dialysis, initiate treatment "early", at an estimated glomerulofiltration rate (eGFR) >10 ml/min/1.73 m2 and many initiate dialysis in hospital, often in association with an episode of acute renal failure. In the US older adults start dialysis at a mean e GFR of 12.6 ml/min/1.73 m2 and 20.6% die within six months of dialysis initiation. In both the acute in hospital and outpatient settings, many older adults appear to be initiating dialysis for non-specific, non-life threatening symptoms and clinical contexts. Observational data suggests that dialysis does not provide a survival benefit for older adults with poor mobility and high levels of comorbidity. To optimize the care of this population, early and repeat shared decision making conversations by health care providers, patients, and their families should consider the risks, burdens, and benefits of dialysis versus conservative management, as well as the patient specific symptoms and clinical situations that could justify dialysis initiation. The potential advantages and disadvantages of dialysis therapy should be considered in conjunction with each patient's unique goals and priorities.In conclusion, when considering the morbidity and quality of life impact associated with dialysis, many older adults may prefer to delay dialysis until there is a definitive indication or may opt for conservative management without dialysis. This approach can incorporate all CKD treatments other than dialysis, provide psychosocial and spiritual support and active symptom management and may also incorporate a palliative care approach with less medical monitoring of lab parameters and more focus on the use of drug therapies directed to relief of a patient's symptoms.