Long-term effect of specific treatment of primary aldosteronism on carotid intima-media thickness.

BACKGROUND: Aldosterone has been shown to substantially contribute to the accumulation of different types of collagen fibres and growth factors in the arterial wall, thus increasing wall thickness. A previous study showed reduction of increased common carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) in patients with primary aldosteronism 1 year after adrenalectomy. Our study in patients with primary aldosteronism was aimed at comparing the long-term effect of adrenalectomy vs. spironolactone therapy on common carotid IMT regression. METHOD: Forty-two patients with confirmed primary aldosteronism (21 with aldosterone-producing adenoma treated by unilateral laparoscopic adrenalectomy, 21 treated with spironolactone) were investigated by carotid ultrasound at baseline and 1 and 6 years after the specific treatment. RESULTS: There was a decrease in common carotid IMT from 0.956 ±â€Š0.140 to 0.900 ±â€Š0.127 mm (-5.9%; P < 0.05) at 1 year and to 0.866 ±â€Š0.130 mm (-9.4%; P < 0.01) at 6 years after adrenalectomy; in the spironolactone group, common carotid IMT decreased from 0.917 ±â€Š0.151 to 0.900 ±â€Š0.165 mm (-1.8%; NS) at 1 year and to 0.854 ±â€Š0.176 mm (-6.8%; P < 0.01) at 6 years of treatment. The magnitude of improvement at 1 year was significantly higher (by 70%; P < 0.05) in the adrenalectomy group; however, the difference (by 27%) became nonsignificant at 6 years. Comparing the adrenalectomy and spironolactone groups, there was no significant difference in blood pressure decrease after treatment. CONCLUSION: In the long term, spironolactone therapy in patients with primary aldosteronism had significant effect on regression of IMT, which was comparable to surgical treatment in patients with unilateral forms of primary aldosteronism.

Long-term effects of adrenalectomy or spironolactone on blood pressure control and regression of left ventricle hypertrophy in patients with primary aldosteronism.

INTRODUCTION: Primary aldosteronism (PA) represents the most common cause of secondary hypertension. Beyond increased blood pressure, additional harmful effects of aldosterone excess including inappropriate left ventricle (LV) hypertrophy were found. We evaluated the effect of adrenalectomy and spironolactone on blood pressure and myocardial remodelling in a long-term follow-up study. METHODS: Thirty-one patients with PA were recruited. Fifteen patients with confirmed aldosterone-producing adenoma underwent adrenalectomy; in the remaining 16 patients, treatment with spironolactone was initiated. Laboratory data, 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and echocardiography parameters were evaluated at baseline and at a median follow-up of 64 months. RESULTS: Both approaches reduced blood pressure (p = 0.001 vs. baseline). In both groups we observed a decrease in end-diastolic (p = 0.04, p = 0.01) and end-systolic LV cavity diameters (p = 0.03, p = 0.01). Interventricular septum and posterior wall thickness reduction was significant only after adrenalectomy (p = 0.01, p = 0.03) as was reduction of LV mass index (p = 0.004). A trend to lower LV mass on spironolactone was caused predominantly by diminution of the LV cavity, which was reflected in increased relative wall thickness (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Although both surgical and conservative treatment can induce a long-term decrease of blood pressure, adrenalectomy seems to be more effective in reduction of LV mass, as it reverses both wall thickening and enlargement of the LV cavity.

Pulse wave velocity in primary hyperparathyroidism and effect of surgical therapy.

The study was aimed at investigating the arterial stiffness assessed by aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the presence of primary hyperparathyroidism (PH), with and without concomitant hypertension. Subsequently, we examined the effect of parathyroidectomy (PTX) on arterial stiffness. A total of 28 patients with PH and concomitant hypertension, and 16 with PH without hypertension were investigated in comparison with 28 essential hypertensive patients and 18 healthy controls, respectively. Patients were matched for age, blood pressure (BP), body mass index, lipid profile and fasting glucose. Six months after PTX, 15 patients were examined again (hypertensive as well as normotensive). PWV was obtained using the SphygmoCor applanation tonometer (AtCor Medical, West Ryde, Australia). PWV was significantly higher in patients with PH and hypertension when compared with patients with essential hypertension (10.1 vs. 8.5 ms(-1), P=0.013). PWV remained significant even after adjustment for age and BP (P=0.02). Similarly, PWV was significantly higher in PH patients without hypertension in comparison with healthy controls (7.6 vs. 5.8 ms(-1), P<0.001). Six months after surgery, in addition to a normalization of calcium metabolism, a significant decrease in systolic BP (131 vs. 123 mmHg, P=0.004) and PWV (9.1 vs. 8.5 ms(-1), P=0.024) was observed. After adjusting for BP reduction, the decrease in PWV appeared non-significant. Our data indicate that PH increases PWV as a marker of arterial stiffness, in both hypertensive and non-hypertensive patients. However, neither the calcium serum level nor the parathyroid hormone level has been associated with PWV. Specific treatment by PTX significantly decreases PWV, which may be determined primarily by improved BP control after surgery.