title: Long-term follow-up of renal arteries after radio-frequency catheter-based denervation using optical coherence tomography and angiography.
abstract: Optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging at the time of renal denervation (RDN) showed that procedure might cause spasm, intimal injury or thrombus formation. In the present study, we assessed the healing of renal arteries after RDN using OCT and renal angiography in long-term follow-up. OCT and renal angiography were performed in 12 patients (22 arteries) 18.41 ± 5.83 months after RNS. There were no adverse events or complications during the long-term follow-up. In ten patients (83 %), significant reductions of blood pressure was achieved without a change of the antihypertensive medications. We demonstrated the presence of 26 areas of focal intimal thickening identified by OCT in 10 (83 %) patients and in 14 (63 %) arteries. The mean area of focal intimal thickening was 0.054 ± 0.033 mm(2). No vessel dissection, thrombus, intimal tear or acute vasospasm were observed during the OCT analysis. Also, the quantitative angiography analysis revealed a significant reduction of the minimal and proximal lumen diameters at follow-up as compared to measurements obtained before RDN. Renal arteries have a favorable "long-term" vessel healing response after RDN. Focal intimal thickening and a modest reduction of the minimal lumen diameter may be observed after RF denervation. Further studies are needed to determine whether intravascular imaging may be helpful in evaluating the vessel healing of RF RDN.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland. tomaszroleder@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roleder
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Mariusz
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Skowerski
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantology, and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wiecek
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantology, and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Adamczak
authors.affiliation: Department of Nephrology, Transplantology, and Internal Diseases, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Beata
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Czerwienska
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wanha
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jadczyk
authors.affiliation: Krakow Cardiovascular Research Institute, 5 Miechowska Street, 30-055, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Lukasz
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Partyka
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Grzegorz
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Smolka
authors.affiliation: Division of Vascular Surgery, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Wacław
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kuczmik
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ochała
authors.affiliation: Institute of Cardiology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, 80 Pradnicka Street, 31-202, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dudek
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tendera
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Zbigniew
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Gasior
authors.affiliation: Third Department of Cardiology, Medical University of Silesia, 45/47 Ziolowa Street, 40-635, Katowice, Poland.
authors.forename: Wojciech
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Wojakowski
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000792:Angiography; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D017115:Catheter Ablation / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058426:Neointima; D011044:Poland; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012077:Renal Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000294:innervation*; D013562:Sympathectomy / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D041623:Tomography, Optical Coherence; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: Intimal thickening; Optical coherence tomography; Renal denervation; Vessel healing