Elevated brain natriuretic peptide predicts blood pressure response after stent revascularization in patients with renal artery stenosis.
BACKGROUND
A significant number (20% to 40%) of hypertensive patients with renal artery stenosis will not have blood pressure improvement after successful percutaneous revascularization. Identifying a group of patients with refractory hypertension and renal artery stenosis who are likely to respond to renal stent placement would be beneficial.


RESULTS
Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) was measured in 27 patients with refractory hypertension and significant renal artery stenosis before and after successful renal artery stent placement. This neuropeptide was elevated (median, 187 pg/mL; 25th to 75th percentiles, 89 to 306 pg/mL) before stent placement and fell within 24 hours of the successful stent procedure (96 pg/mL; 25th to 75th percentiles, 61 to 182 pg/mL; P=0.002), remaining low (85 pg/mL; 25th to 75th percentiles, 43 to 171 pg/mL) at follow-up. Clinical improvement in hypertension was observed in the patients with a baseline BNP >80 pg/mL (n=22) in 17 patients (77%) compared with 0% of the patients with a baseline BNP < or =80 pg/mL (n=5) (P=0.001). After correction for glomerular filtration rate, BNP was strongly correlated with improvement in hypertension.


CONCLUSIONS
BNP is increased in patients with severe renal artery stenosis and decreases after successful stent revascularization. In addition, an elevated baseline BNP level of >80 pg/mL appears to be a good predictor of a blood pressure response after successful stent revascularization.
Silva
Jose A
JA
Department of Cardiology, Ochsner Clinic Foundation, Slidell Clinic, 2750 Gause Blvd, Slidell, LA 70461. jsilva@ochsner.org
Chan
Albert W
AW
White
Christopher J
CJ
Collins
Tyrone J
TJ
Jenkins
J Stephen
JS
Reilly
John P
JP
Ramee
Stephen R
SR
D000368:Aged; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D005260:Female; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood*; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D015607:Stents; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures
D015415:Biomarkers; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain