Arterial stiffness evaluated by pulse wave velocity is not predictive of the improvement in hypertension after adrenal surgery for primary aldosteronism: A multicentre study from the French European Society of Hypertension Excellence Centres.

BACKGROUND

Predictive factors associated with normal blood pressure (BP) after unilateral adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism (PA) are not clearly identified.

AIMS: To evaluate the predictive value of arterial stiffness before surgery on BP after surgery.

METHODS

During 2009-2013, 96 patients with PA due to unilateral adrenal adenoma who underwent surgery were enrolled in a multicentre open-label, prospective study. Aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) was assessed before surgery. Patients underwent ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) before surgery and 6 and 12months after surgery. Twenty-four h SBP/DBP values were compared in subjects with PWV<vs. ≥10m/s. The primary outcome was 24-hour ABPM<130/80mmHg 6 months after adrenalectomy.

RESULTS

BP and PWV were available for 82 patients (mean age 49±12years). Mean 24-hour systolic/diastolic BP (SBP/DBP) values decreased from 144±15/91±9 before surgery to 131±15/84±11mmHg 6months after surgery. At 6months, mean 24-hour SBP did not differ significantly between high versus low PWV groups (SBP-0.8mmHg, 95% confidence interval-6.9 to 5.2, P=0.79). A total of 42.3% of women versus 20.0% of men had 24-hour SBP/DBP<130/80mmHg at 6months (P=0.07) and 57.9% vs. 23.8% at 12months (P=0.03). Higher SBP/DBP was recorded for men versus women after 6months (P=0.01/0.001) and 1year (P=0.04/0.05).

CONCLUSION

Preoperative arterial stiffness does not predict a beneficial effect of adrenalectomy on BP values.