Clinical characteristics of concurrent primary aldosteronism and renal artery stenosis: A retrospective case–control study

ABSTRACT

Background: Rare cases of concurrent primary aldosteronism (PA) and renal artery stenosis (RAS) have been reported.

Methods: In this retrospective case–control study, we selected a cohort of 10 PA with RAS patients and a control group of 20 PA without RAS patients from January 1, 2006, to January 1, 2016. 

Results: All patients presented with refractory hypertension, and a nonstatistically significant trend toward lower mean serum potassium was seen in the PA with RAS group (p =.07). PA with RAS patients had lower mean orthostatic aldosterone-to-renin ratios (38.4 ± 41.4 ng dL⁻¹/ng mL⁻¹ h⁻¹ vs. 87.4.4 ± 38.4 ng dL⁻¹/ng mL⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively; p < .01) and a higher false-negative rate (50% vs. 15%, respectively; p < .05) compared with controls. All misdiagnosed patients had the diagnosis of PA confirmed when we revaluated the repeated screening and confirmative tests because of residual hypertension or hypokalemia after successful revascularization of renal artery stenosis. 

Conclusions: PA is easily missed in patients with RAS because of the high false-negative rate for screening tests. RAS patients with residual hypertension after successful renal angioplasty should be monitored for coexisting PA. Reevaluation of screening and confirmatory tests is helpful in establishing the correct diagnoses.

KEYWORDS:

• Primary aldosteronism
• renal artery stenosis
• arr
• diagnosis
• clinical characteristics

Disclosure statement

All authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Key Research and Development Plan of China (grant number 2016YFC1300100), the CAMS Innovation Fund for Medical Science (grant number 2016-I2M-1-002).