Survival of patients with renovascular disease and ACE inhibition

Renovascular hypertension (RVH) is associated with a high prevalence of target organ damage and a high mortality. We have undertaken this follow-up study to assess the role played by comorbid conditions, and pharmacological treatment on survival, and on renal function in 64 patients with diffuse atherosclerotic vascular and renovascular disease (RVD).

The patients were followed for an average period of 37.3+/-20.4 months.

At the end of the follow-up we found a cumulative survival at 5 years of 60%+/-10. Cerebrovascular and cardiovascular disease were responsible for 92% of deaths. A decrease in creatinine clearance >10 ml/min at 5 years was found in 65% of patients, 3 of whom ended in dialysis. Multivariate analysis of predictors of survival showed that treatment with angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) was significantly associated with a favourable outcome (p = 0.019). Conversely, proteinuria had a negative effect. Renal survival was best predicted by the level of renal function at entry (p = 0.02), and was not influenced by pharmacological treatment.

We conclude that ACEi exerts a beneficial effect on survival without affecting renal function in patients with RVD due to unilateral renal stenosis.