Correlation between Plasma Aldosterone Concentrations and Simple Renal Cyst in Hypertensive Patients

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Endocrinology
• Hypertension Research

Background:

• Primary aldosteronism is linked to simple renal cysts (SRCs).
• The specific relationship between plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and SRCs is not well-defined.
• This study investigates the association between PAC and SRCs in hypertensive individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the association between plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and simple renal cysts (SRCs).
• To explore the dose-response relationship between PAC levels and SRC risk in hypertensive patients.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of 30,135 hypertensive patients from January 2014 to December 2023.
• Logistic regression and restricted cubic splines (RCS) to assess PAC-SRC relationship and dose-response.
• Subgroup analyses to evaluate PAC effects under various conditions, including SRC size and number.

Main Results:

• A positive association was found between higher PAC levels and increased SRC risk (OR: 1.20 per 5-ng/dL increase).
• Progressively higher quartiles of PAC demonstrated a dose-dependent increase in SRC risk.
• Restricted cubic splines confirmed a linear dose-response relationship between PAC and SRC risk.

Conclusions:

• Elevated PAC levels are significantly associated with an increased risk of SRCs in hypertensive patients.
• Modulating PAC levels might be a strategy to mitigate SRC formation.
• Further prospective research is needed to establish a causal link between PAC and SRCs.