Favorable effects on arterial stiffness after renal sympathetic denervation for the treatment of resistant hypertension: a cardiovascular magnetic resonance study

Abstract

Aims: Renal sympathetic denervation (RDN) has recently been suggested to be a novel treatment strategy for patients with treatment-resistant hypertension. However, the latest randomized studies have provided conflicting results and the influence of RDN on arterial stiffness remains unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to detect the effects of RDN on arterial stiffness as measured with aortic pulse wave velocity (PWV) and distensibility in addition to cardiac function and T1 mapping at baseline and at 6-month follow-up. Methods: RDN was performed in a total of 16 patients with treatment-resistant hypertension, and the procedures were conducted at two university hospitals using two different RDN devices. All patients and age-matched controls underwent a comprehensive clinical examination and cardiac magnetic resonance protocols both at baseline and at a 6-month follow-up. Results: In the treatment group, the systolic blood pressure (SBP) was found to be decreased at the follow-up visit (office SBP; 173±24 compared to 164±25 mmHg [P= 0.033]), the 24-hour ambulatory SBP had decreased (163±25 compared to 153±20 mmHg [P=0.057]), the aortic PWV had decreased from 8.24±3.34 to 6.54±1.31 m/s (P=0.053), and the aortic distensibility had increased from 2.33±1.34 to 3.96±3.05 10−3 mmHg−1 (P=0.013). The changes in aortic PWV and distensibility were independent of the observed reductions in SBP. Conclusion: The arterial stiffness, as assessed with aortic PWV, and distensibility were improved at 6 months after RDN. This improvement was independent of the reduction in SBP.