Catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation for resistant hypertension: durability of blood pressure reduction out to 24 months

Hypertension. 2011 May;57(5):911-7. doi: 10.1161/HYPERTENSIONAHA.110.163014. Epub 2011 Mar 14.

Abstract

Renal sympathetic hyperactivity is seminal in the maintenance and progression of hypertension. Catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation has been shown to significantly reduce blood pressure (BP) in patients with hypertension. Durability of effect beyond 1 year using this novel technique has never been reported. A cohort of 45 patients with resistant hypertension (systolic BP ≥160 mm Hg on ≥3 antihypertension drugs, including a diuretic) has been originally published. Herein, we report longer-term follow-up data on these and a larger group of similar patients subsequently treated with catheter-based renal denervation in a nonrandomized manner. We treated 153 patients with catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation at 19 centers in Australia, Europe, and the United States. Mean age was 57±11 years, 39% were women, 31% were diabetic, and 22% had coronary artery disease. Baseline values included mean office BP of 176/98±17/15 mm Hg, mean of 5 antihypertension medications, and an estimated glomerular filtration rate of 83±20 mL/min per 1.73 m(2). The median time from first to last radiofrequency energy ablation was 38 minutes. The procedure was without complication in 97% of patients (149 of 153). The 4 acute procedural complications included 3 groin pseudoaneurysms and 1 renal artery dissection, all managed without further sequelae. Postprocedure office BPs were reduced by 20/10, 24/11, 25/11, 23/11, 26/14, and 32/14 mm Hg at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, respectively. In conclusion, in patients with resistant hypertension, catheter-based renal sympathetic denervation results in a substantial reduction in BP sustained out to ≥2 years of follow-up, without significant adverse events.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Multicenter Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Analysis of Variance
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Blood Pressure / physiology*
  • Catheters
  • Female
  • Glomerular Filtration Rate / drug effects
  • Glomerular Filtration Rate / physiology
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / drug therapy
  • Hypertension / physiopathology
  • Hypertension / surgery*
  • Kidney / innervation*
  • Kidney / physiopathology
  • Kidney / surgery
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Sympathectomy / instrumentation
  • Sympathectomy / methods*
  • Treatment Outcome