Effects of renal denervation on end organ damage in hypertensive patients

Renal denervation (RDN) is believed to reduce sympathetic nerve activity and is a potential treatment for resistant hypertension. The present study investigated the effects of RDN on end organ damage (EOD).

The present study was a prospective cohort study (registered as NCT01427049).

Uncontrolled hypertensive patients underwent a work-up prior to and one year after RDN. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging was used to determine left ventricular (LV)-mass; pulse wave analysis and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were used for evaluation of central blood pressure (BP) and arterial stiffness and 24-hour urine was collected for assessment of urinary albumin excretion. The 24-hour ambulatory BP measurement (ABPM) was used to evaluate the effect of RDN on BP.

Fifty-four patients gave informed consent for study participation. Mean age was 58 ± 10 years, 50% were male. One year after RDN, mean ABPM decreased by 7 ± 18/5 ± 11 mm Hg (p = 0.01/p < 0.01). In the patients followed-up in a standardised fashion ABPM decreased by 5 ± 18/4 ± 12 mm Hg (n = 34; p = 0.11/p = 0.09). Mean body surface area indexed LV-mass decreased by 3.3 ± 11.5 g/m(2) (corresponding to a 3 ± 11% reduction; p = 0.09). PWV increased by 2.9 (-2.2 to +6.1) m/s (p = 0.04). Augmentation index corrected for 75 beats per min did not change (median increase 3.0 (-7 to +17) mm Hg; p = 0.89). Urinary albumin excretion did not change during follow-up (mean decrease 10 ± 117 mg/24 hour; p = 0.61).

In the current study, we observed a modest effect from renal denervation. Moreover, RDN did not result in a statistical significant effect on end organ damage 12 months after treatment.