Renal artery revascularization improves heart failure control in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis.
BACKGROUND
Renal artery stenosis (RAS) impacts the pathogenesis and control of heart failure (HF) and may further contribute to increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in HF patients. However, the long-term effects of renal artery revascularization on cardiovascular outcomes in HF patients are not well studied.


METHODS
The prevalence of HF and its effects on all-cause mortality were studied in 163 consecutive patients with systemic hypertension and chronic kidney disease (serum creatinine >2 mg/dL) who underwent percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA) with stenting for atherosclerotic RAS. In addition, in 100 patients with RAS and coexistent HF, we compared the impact of medical treatment (n = 50) versus PTRA (n = 50) on clinical outcomes.


RESULTS
HF (predominantly normal ejection fraction) was present in 50/163 (31%) patients with systemic hypertension and chronic kidney disease (serum creatinine >2 mg/ dL) undergoing PTRA for RAS and represented the major predictor of all-cause mortality in these patients. When compared with sex-matched RAS and HF patients treated medically, PTRA with stenting was associated with a significant decrease in the New York Heart Association Functional Class (1.9 +/- 0.8 versus 2.6 +/- 1.0, P < 0.04) and a 5-fold reduction in the number of hospitalizations. However, renal artery revascularization did not impact mortality.


CONCLUSIONS
HF was present in one-third of patients with renal dysfunction and atherosclerotic RAS who were referred for PTRA. The presence of HF was associated with a significantly increased risk of death after PTRA with stenting. Renal artery revascularization resulted in improved HF control and a reduction in HF hospitalizations.
Kane
Garvan C
GC
Division of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Internal Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.
Xu
Nancy
N
Mistrik
Erik
E
Roubicek
Tomas
T
Stanson
Anthony W
AW
Garovic
Vesna D
VD
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D015607:Stents; D016896:Treatment Outcome