Relationship between accessory renal arteries and resistant hypertension: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Resistant hypertension (RHT) is a major health care concern affecting 20 to 30% of hypertensive patients and increasing cardiovascular risk. Recent renal denervation trials have suggested a high prevalence of accessory renal arteries (ARA) in RHT. Our objective was to compare the prevalence of ARA in RHT vs. non-resistant hypertension (NRHT). METHODS: Eighty-six patients with essential hypertension who benefited from an abdominal CT-scan or MRI during their initial workup were retrospectively recruited in 6 French ESH (European Society of Hypertension) centers. At the end of a follow-up period of at least 6 months, patients were classified between RHT or NRHT. RHT was defined as uncontrolled blood pressure despite the optimal doses of three antihypertensive agents of which one is a diuretic or similar, or controlled by ≥ 4 medications. Blinded independent central review of all radiologic renal artery charts was performed. RESULTS: Baseline characteristics were: age 50±15 years, 62% males, BP 145±22/87±13mmHg. Fifty-three (62%) patients had RHT and 25 (29%) had at least one ARA. Prevalence of ARA was comparable between RHT (25%) and NRHT patients (33%, P=0.62), but there were more ARA per patient in NRHT (2±0.9) vs. RHT (1.3±0.5, P=0.05), and renin levels were higher in ARA group (51.6±41.7 mUI/L vs. 20.4±25.4 mUI/L, P=0.001). ARA were similar in diameter or length between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: In this retrospective series of 86 essential hypertension patients, we found no difference in the prevalence of ARA in RHT and NRHT. More comprehensive studies are needed to answer this question.

[Hypertension in pregnancy and future maternal health]. / Hypertensions artérielles de la grossesse et devenir maternel.

Preeclampsia is a specific risk factor chronic of hypertension, of coronary events (Ray et al., 2005), of stroke (Brown et al., 2006), of chronic renal failure (Kattah and Garovic, 2005; McDonald et al., 2003; Williams, 2003) and a specific risk factor of cardio-cerebrovascular mortality (Magnussen et al., 2009). According to Magnusson et al. (2009), the relative long-term risk of developing hypertension is multiplied by 4; the risk of diabetes and metabolic syndrome multiplied by 3; the risk of coronary heart disease and stroke multiplied by 2. Cardiovascular risk is particularly important when pregnancy was complicated by maternal and fetal events or occurring precociously (Williams, 2003; Newstead et al., 2007). Early PE is associated with a relative risk of death by 7 of CV disease. Several pathophysiological factors are common between CV disease and preeclampsia: endothelial dysfunction, hypertension, obesity, insulin resistance, dyslipidemia and CV heredity. Metabolic syndrome could be the link between preeclampsia and CV disease. Hypertension in pregnancy and preeclampsia could unmask metabolic syndrome "latent" existing (Silva et al., 2008). Recently, scientific societies have published guidelines dedicated to cardiovascular risk in women and for the prevention of stroke in women. They recognize hypertension in pregnancy and preeclampsia as specific emerging risk (Mosca et al., 2011; European Society of Gynecology et al., 2011; Bushnell et al., 2014). Paradoxically, information and prevention of these women at risk is insufficient to ignorance and lack of awareness among health professionals (Brown et al., 2013). The education of women has become a major issue of prevention, developing specific consultation after delivery, encouraging them to optimize their lifestyle with a coordinated follow-up (Newstead et al., 2007; Mosca et al., 2011; European Society of Gynecology et al., 2011; Bushnell et al., 2014, Harskamp and Zeeman, 2007). In the end, the implementation of structured care pathway, further monitoring of these women, aims to improve the practices of health professionals (Manten et al., 2007; Adams et al., 2014; Mounier-Vehier et al., 2014).

Post aortic dissection: Gap between activity recommendation and real life patients aerobic capacities.

BACK GROUND: Regular exercise at a safe level, i.e. 3-5 metabolic equivalents, is recommended to improve blood pressure control and quality of life even after aortic dissection, although aerobic exercise capacities in these patients are unexplored yet. METHODS: We prospectively collected data from 105 patients with a history of post aortic dissection referred for a cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPX) aiming to guide exercise rehabilitation. RESULTS: The population was composed of 76% of male, with a mean age of 57.9±12.4years. There were an equal distribution between the two type of dissection (47% of type A and 53% of type B aortic dissection). No cardiac event occurred during or after CPX. One third of patients have normal aerobic exercise capacity defined as peak oxygen uptake upper than 85% of their predicted capacity. Mean oxygen uptake peak was quite low 19.2±5.2ml/kg/min (5.5±1.5 metabolic equivalents). Aerobic capacity was limited by cardiac chronotropic incompetence in 42% or peripheral deconditioning in 45%. Blood pressure remained in an acceptable range during the exercise. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were respectively 151±20 and 77±13mmHg at first ventilatory threshold. CONCLUSIONS: CPX is a safe exploration in patients with post aortic dissection syndrome. Given the fact that most of these patients are faced with significant alteration of aerobic capacities, the recommended daily practice of moderate exercise at 3-5 METS should be adapted and personalized to each patient thanks to CPX.

Clinical implications of left ventricular assist device implantation in patients with an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator.

PURPOSE: This study aims to study the clinical implications of the concomitant use of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD) and an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). METHODS: In this retrospective study, all patients who underwent LVAD (Heart Mate II) implantation with concomitant ICD therapy at our institution between June 2007 and August 2012 were included. We sought to investigate (1) the electromagnetic interference between LVAD and ICD telemetry, (2) the effect of LVAD implantation on right ventricular (RV) lead parameters and (3) the ventricular tachyarrhythmias (VAs) that occur post-LVAD implantation. RESULTS: Of the 23 patients (53 ± 9 years, 73 % male, LVEF 19 ± 9 %) included, ICD telemetry was lost in four patients post-LVAD implantation (Saint-Jude-Medical Atlas V-193, V-240, V-243, and Sorin CRT-8750), prompting either use of a metal shield (n = 1), a change in position of the programmer head (n = 1) or ICD replacement (n = 2). LVAD implantation was associated with a decrease in both RV signal amplitude (p = 0.04) and RV impedance (p < 0.01), and a trend towards an increased RV pacing threshold (p = 0.08), without affecting clinical outcome. Eleven patients (47.8 %) experienced VAs after LVAD implantation, which on the whole were well tolerated. Their occurrence was strongly linked to a history of VAs before device implantation (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Electromagnetic interference between LVADs and ICD telemetry may necessitate ICD replacement. LVAD placement is associated with significant changes in RV lead parameters that have minimal clinical significance. VAs occur in approximately half of LVAD patients seen and their occurrence is strongly related to a history of VAs prior to LVAD implantation.