title: Outcome of surgical treatment of primary aldosteronism.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the early and long-term outcomes of the surgical treatment of primary aldosteronism (PA), the most common surgically correctable cause of endocrine hypertension.
  
  
  METHODS
  Serum Potassium levels, blood pressure values, and aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR) were assessed in 128 patients undergoing unilateral adrenalectomy for PA, before and after surgery. The role of lateralizing techniques and the relationship between outcome and histopathology findings were also evaluated.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Biochemical cure of PA (ARR and kalemia normalization) was achieved in 95 % of patients, at early follow-up. Single aldosterone-producing adenoma, multinodular hyperplasia, and diffuse hyperplasia were found in 46, 45, and 9 % of the patients, respectively. No relationship between histopathology and persistence or recurrence of PA was found. The use of further lateralizing techniques in addition to computed tomography or magnetic resonance was the main predictor of PA cure (p = 0.02); adrenal venous sampling (AVS) was more accurate than scintigraphy in PA lateralization (p < 0.05). After surgery, hypertension was cured in 55 % and improved in 36 % of patients. Female gender, a lower number of antihypertensive drugs, and a shorter duration of hypertension were the main predictors of hypertension cure. At long-term, recurrent PA occurred in 3.7 % of cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Early diagnosis and correct lateralization of hyperaldosteronism by means of AVS are keys to achieve surgical cure of PA and PA-related hypertension. PA may be also caused by unilateral hyperplasia, which may be cured by unilateral adrenalectomy. Recurrences of PA are rare, although a prolonged follow-up is required.
authors.affiliation: Minimally Invasive Endocrine Surgery Unit, Department of Surgery, Oncology and Gastroenterology, University of Padua, Via Giustiniani 2, 35128, Padova, Italy.
authors.forename: Marilisa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Citton
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Viel
authors.forename: Gian Paolo
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Rossi
authors.forename: Franco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mantero
authors.forename: Donato
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Nitti
authors.forename: Maurizio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Iacobone
mesh_terms: D000315:Adrenalectomy; D000450:Aldosterone / Q000097:blood; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006929:Hyperaldosteronism / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011188:Potassium / Q000097:blood; D012083:Renin / Q000097:blood; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D000450:Aldosterone; D012083:Renin; D011188:Potassium