Urinary aldosterone-to-active-renin ratio: a useful tool for predicting resolution of hypertension after adrenalectomy in patients with aldosterone-producing adenomas.
BACKGROUND
The purpose of this study was to determine the preoperative clinical and biological factors that predict the clinical outcomes after surgery, in subjects with aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs).


METHODS
Fifty-eight patients (mean age 52 +/- 11 years) with APA were followed up for 43 +/- 13 months after they had undergone unilateral adrenalectomy. The subjects were classified as "cured" (n = 23) if the blood pressure (BP) was <140/90 mm Hg without postoperative medication, "normalized" (n = 20) if BP was <140/90 mm Hg with antihypertensive therapy, and "uncontrolled" (n = 15) if a BP of < or =140/90 mm Hg was not achieved despite intensive therapy.


RESULTS
The cured patients had a significantly lower mean preoperative age, cardiac mass, and serum creatinine (P < 0.001) than the other subjects. The main independent predictors of surgical curability were: age (P < 0.01), low serum potassium (P < 0.0001), and the urinary aldosterone-to-active-renin (UAAR) ratio (P < 0.008). Among the hormonal parameters, the UAAR ratio provided the best area under the receiver operating-characteristics curve (0.802 (confidence interval (CI) 95%: 0.676-0.944)). For a cutoff value of 15, the positive and negative predictive values of the UAAR ratio were 85 and 92%, respectively. In the study population as a whole, surgical treatment restored the age-systolic BP (SBP) relationship (P < 0.006), which was insignificant before surgery.


CONCLUSIONS
Although all the subjects showed lowering of BP after surgery, and the age-BP relationship was restored, the long-term cure rate of APA subjects was 40%. The UAAR ratio, by comparison with other classical hormonal features of primary aldosteronism, was the best independent predictor of the cure of hypertension after adrenalectomy.
Mourad
Jean-Jacques
JJ
Hypertension Unit, Avicenne Hospital, AP-HP, Paris XIII University (EA 3412), Paris, France.
Girerd
Xavier
X
Milliez
Paul
P
Lopez-Sublet
Marilucy
M
Lejeune
Sylvain
S
Safar
Michel E
ME
D000236:Adenoma / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D000310:Adrenal Gland Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000652:urine*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000150:complications / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012372:ROC Curve; D012083:Renin / Q000652:urine*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D000450:Aldosterone; D012083:Renin