Renal endpoints in hypertension trials

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Cardiology
• Hypertension Research

Background:

• Growing interest in renal function assessment in clinical trials.
• Nephrosclerosis is a major cause of end-stage renal disease.
• Minor renal function alterations predict poor patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the detection, prevalence, and relevance of minor renal function alterations.
• To assess the role of these alterations in cardiovascular risk stratification for hypertensive patients.

Main Methods:

• Review of recent large-scale trials investigating renal function.
• Analysis of data on serum creatinine, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), microalbuminuria, and proteinuria.
• Correlation of renal function markers with cardiovascular events and mortality.

Main Results:

• Elevated serum creatinine and diminished eGFR are associated with increased cardiovascular events and mortality.
• Presence of microalbuminuria and/or proteinuria indicates a significant risk elevation.
• Minor renal function changes are relevant for cardiovascular risk stratification.

Conclusions:

• Early detection of minor renal function alterations is crucial.
• These alterations are significant predictors of cardiovascular events and mortality in hypertensive patients.
• Incorporating renal function assessment improves cardiovascular risk stratification.