title: Aliskiren Trial in Type 2 Diabetes Using Cardio-Renal Endpoints (ALTITUDE): rationale and study design.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Patients with type 2 diabetes are at increased risk of macro- and microvascular disease, and the presence of albuminuria and/or reduced kidney function further enhances macrovascular risk. Angiotensin-converting-enzyme inhibitors reduce both macro- and microvascular events, yet the residual renal and cardiovascular risk still remains high. Aliskiren a novel oral direct renin inhibitor that unlike ACEi and ARBs, lowers plasma renin activity, angiotensin I and angiotensin II levels, may thereby provide greater benefit compared to ACEi or ARB alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  The primary objective of the ALTITUDE trial is to determine whether aliskiren 300 mg once daily, reduces cardiovascular and renal morbidity and mortality compared with placebo when added to conventional treatment (including ACEi or ARB). ALTITUDE is an international, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study, which will include three categories of high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes (aged > or =35 years): those with either urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) > or =200 mg/g; microalbuminuria (UACR) > or =20 <200 mg/g and eGFR > or =30 <60 mL/min/1.73 m2; and thirdly, those with a history of cardiovascular disease and eGFR > or =30 <60 mL/min/1.73 m2 with or without microalbuminuria. ALTITUDE is an event driven trial that aims to randomize 8600 patients with a planned follow-up time of 48 months. The primary outcome measure is time to first event for the composite endpoint of cardiovascular death, resuscitated death, myocardial infarction, stroke, unplanned hospitalization for heart failure, onset of end-stage renal disease or doubling of baseline serum creatinine concentration. Secondary endpoints include a composite CV endpoint and a composite renal endpoint.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ALTITUDE will determine whether dual RAAS blockade with the direct renin inhibitor aliskiren in combination with an ACEi or ARB will reduce major morbidity and mortality in a broad range of high-risk patients with type 2 diabetes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Endocrinology, Rigshospitalet, University of Copenhagen, Blegdamsvej 9, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark. hhparving@dadlnet.dk
authors.forename: Hans-Henrik
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Parving
authors.forename: Barry M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Brenner
authors.forename: John J V
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: McMurray
authors.forename: Dick
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: de Zeeuw
authors.forename: Steven M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Haffner
authors.forename: Scott D
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Solomon
authors.forename: Nish
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chaturvedi
authors.forename: Mathieu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ghadanfar
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Weissbach
authors.forename: Zhihua
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Xiang
authors.forename: Juergen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Armbrecht
authors.forename: Marc A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pfeffer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000577:Amides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D023381:Endpoint Determination; D005260:Female; D005650:Fumarates / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005919:Glomerular Filtration Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D007674:Kidney Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D012084:Renin-Angiotensin System / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000577:Amides; D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D005650:Fumarates; C446481:aliskiren