title: Renovascular disease in diabetes mellitus: treatment by percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes mellitus is an important cause of end-stage renal failure (ESRF). Although classic diabetic nephropathy accounts for the majority of patients reaching ESRF, renovascular disease, which is frequent in such patients, plays an increasingly important role. Percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) has been proven to be an efficacious measure for renal revascularization.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ninety-nine patients with diabetes mellitus and renal artery stenosis, corresponding to 16.6% of the entire population of diabetic patients, were treated by PTRA or with the Palmaz-Schatz stent in our clinic. Technical success was achieved by PTRA in 92/99 patients, in 10 patients a Palmaz-Schatz stent was implanted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypertension was cured in eight and improved in 44 patients. In 47 patients, there was no impact on blood pressure. An improvement in renal function was evident 1 month after PTRA in 8/27 patients. A further improvement occurred in another four patients after 6 months. The re-stenosis rate was 22% after 5 years. Serious complications occurred in seven patients (one patient required surgery and two patients had regular dialysis treatment).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Renovascular disease is an important cause of ESRF in diabetic patients. PTRA is a valid tool to revascularize renal artery stenosis and improve blood pressure control and renal function both in diabetic and non-diabetic patients.
authors.affiliation: Divisione di Nefrologia e Dialisi-Malpighi, Policlinico S. Orsola-Malpighi, Bologna, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zuccalà
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Losinno
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zucchelli
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Zucchelli
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003928:Diabetic Nephropathies / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012008:Recurrence; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000628:therapy*