Faculty Collaboration Database

Clinical Outcomes After Unilateral Adrenalectomy for Primary Aldosteronism. JAMA Surg 2019 Apr 01;154(4):e185842

Date

02/28/2019

Pubmed ID

30810749

Pubmed Central ID

PMC6484800

DOI

10.1001/jamasurg.2018.5842

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-85062332663 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   96 Citations

Abstract

IMPORTANCE: In addition to biochemical cure, clinical benefits after surgery for primary aldosteronism depend on the magnitude of decrease in blood pressure (BP) and use of antihypertensive medications with a subsequent decreased risk of cardiovascular and/or cerebrovascular morbidity and drug-induced adverse effects.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the change in BP and use of antihypertensive medications within an international cohort of patients who recently underwent surgery for primary aldosteronism.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: A cohort study was conducted across 16 referral medical centers in Europe, the United States, Canada, and Australia. Patients who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism between January 2010 and December 2016 were included. Data analysis was performed from August 2017 to June 2018. Unilateral disease was confirmed using computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and/or adrenal venous sampling. Patients with missing or incomplete preoperative or follow-up data regarding BP or corresponding number of antihypertensive medications were excluded.

MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Clinical success was defined based on postoperative BP and number of antihypertensive medications. Cure was defined as normotension without antihypertensive medications, and clear improvement as normotension with lower or equal use of antihypertensive medications. In patients with preoperative normotensivity, improvement was defined as postoperative normotension with lower antihypertensive use. All other patients were stratified as no clear success because the benefits of surgery were less obvious, mainly owing to postoperative, persistent hypertension. Clinical outcomes were assessed at follow-up closest to 6 months after surgery.

RESULTS: On the basis of inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of 435 patients (84.6%) from a cohort of 514 patients who underwent unilateral adrenalectomy were eligible. Of these patients, 186 (42.3%) were women; mean (SD) age at the time of surgery was 50.7 (11.4) years. Cure was achieved in 118 patients (27.1%), clear improvement in 135 (31.0%), and no clear success in 182 (41.8%). In the subgroup classified as no clear success, 166 patients (91.2%) had postoperative hypertension. However, within this subgroup, the mean (SD) systolic and diastolic BP decreased significantly by 9 (22) mm Hg (P < .001) and 3 (15) mm Hg (P = .04), respectively. Also, the number of antihypertensive medications used decreased from 3 (range, 0-7) to 2 (range, 0-6) (P < .001). Moreover, in 75 of 182 patients (41.2%) within this subgroup, the decrease in systolic BP was 10 mm Hg or greater.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: In this study, for most patients, adrenalectomy was associated with a postoperative normotensive state and reduction of antihypertensive medications. Furthermore, a significant proportion of patients with postoperative, persistent hypertension may benefit from adrenalectomy given the observed clinically relevant and significant reduction of BP and antihypertensive medications.

Author List

Vorselaars WMCM, Nell S, Postma EL, Zarnegar R, Drake FT, Duh QY, Talutis SD, McAneny DB, McManus C, Lee JA, Grant SB, Grogan RH, Romero Arenas MA, Perrier ND, Peipert BJ, Mongelli MN, Castelino T, Mitmaker EJ, Parente DN, Pasternak JD, Engelsman AF, Sywak M, D'Amato G, Raffaelli M, Schuermans V, Bouvy ND, Eker HH, Bonjer HJ, Vaarzon Morel NM, Nieveen van Dijkum EJM, Vrielink OM, Kruijff S, Spiering W, Borel Rinkes IHM, Valk GD, Vriens MR, International CONNsortium study group

Author

Catherine McManus MD, MS Associate Professor in the Surgery department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adrenalectomy
Adult
Aged
Antihypertensive Agents
Blood Pressure
Diastole
Female
Humans
Hyperaldosteronism
Hypertension
Male
Middle Aged
Systole
Treatment Outcome