title: Dihydropyridine calcium antagonists and renal function in hypertensive kidney transplant recipients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether calcium antagonists are nephroprotective in hypertensive cyclosporine-treated renal allograft recipients.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied 50 hypertensive and 17 normotensive renal transplants (eight females, nine males; 14-54 years, mean age 38.8 +/- 3.5 years). Hypertensive patients were randomized to be treated with (+Ca; 11 females, 13 males; 20-65 years, mean age 43.1 +/- 3 years) or without (-Ca; 15 females, 11 males; 25-60 years, mean age 41.3 +/- 2.5 years) a calcium antagonist (nitrendipine or nifedipine). Additional antihypertensives were given stepwise according to a standardized protocol: beta1-adrenoceptor blocker, diuretic alpha1-adrenoceptor blocker or vasodilator. Data were analysed at 0, 1, 2 and 3 years on an intention-to-treat basis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Hypertensive patients had a higher body mass index at 0/3 years (23.7 +/- 0.6/25.1 +/- 0.6 kg/m2) than normotensive patients (22.2 +/- 0.6/22.1 +/- 0.7 kg/m2). During the study, blood pressure in normotensive transplants was always slightly, but not significantly, lower than that of transplants with treated hypertension. There was no difference between the groups (+Ca) and (-Ca). Cr51-ethylenediaminetetracetic acid (EDTA) clearance (0/2 years) was 58 +/- 4/57 +/- 6 ml/min in normotensives, 52 +/- 4/47 +/- 4 ml/min in hypertensives (+Ca) and 47 +/- 4/49 +/- 6 ml/min in hypertensives (-Ca). Proteinuria (0/3 years) was 0.16 +/- 0.04/0.15 +/- 0.02 g/24 h in normotensive, 0.26 +/- 0.08/0.23 +/- 0.05 g/24 h in hypertensives (+Ca) and 0.26 +/- 0.07/0.22 +/- 0.05 g/24 h in hypertensives (-Ca).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Post-transplant hypertension is associated with higher body mass index and poor renal function. No difference in the course of Cr51-EDTA clearance, serum creatinine, proteinuria or blood pressure was observed between groups treated with or without calcium antagonists. Calcium antagonists and conventional antihypertensive treatment have the same nephroprotective effect in hypertensive renal transplants, when treatment is started 3 months after transplantation.
authors.affiliation: Medizinische Klinik, Innere Medizin IV, Freiburg, Germany. lcrump@mm41.ukl.uni-freiburg.de
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Rump
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Oberhauser
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Schwertfeger
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Speidel
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Zimmerhackl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kirste
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Grotz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016572:Cyclosporine / Q000097:blood; D004095:Dihydropyridines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006977:Hypertension, Renal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000097:blood; D007668:Kidney / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011507:Proteinuria / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002121:Calcium Channel Blockers; D004095:Dihydropyridines; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D016572:Cyclosporine