[Stent or not in the case of renal artery stenosis? No clear-cut answer yet].
Recent trials, STAR and ASTRAL, indicate that medicinal treatment alone is as good as stenting plus medicinal treatment in preventing renal events in patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis of more than 50-70%. In this commentary, it is stated that the high number of complications in catheter interventions is related to the generalised atherosclerosis in these patients. In this group of patients intervention is too late to prevent renal events. Stenting in patients with low-grade renal artery stenosis should be considered as an option for treating hypertension and atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. This should be studied in a prospective randomised controlled trial.
Kroon
A A Bram
AA
Academisch Ziekenhuis Maastricht/Maastricht Universitair Medisch Centrum, afd. Interne Geneeskunde, Maastricht, the Netherlands. aa.kroon@mumc.nl
D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D007668:Kidney / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D012077:Renal Artery; D012078:Renal Artery Obstruction / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D015607:Stents / Q000009:adverse effects; D016896:Treatment Outcome