Nephrology News & Articles

1 Changes in serum aldosterone are associated with changes in obesity-related factors in normotensive overweight and obese young adults Hypertension Research, May 10, 2013
Cooper JN et al. - Recent data suggest excess circulating aldosterone promotes cardiometabolic decline. Weight loss may lower aldosterone levels, but little longitudinal data is available in normotensive adults. The authors aimed to determine whether, independent of changes in sodium excretion, reductions in serum aldosterone are associated with favorable changes in obesity-related factors in normotensive overweight/obese young adults. Favorable changes in obesity-related ...

2 Circulating aldosterone and mortality in female nursing home residents Experimental Gerontology, February 6, 2013
Tomaschitz A et al. - The study aims to date studies evaluating the relation between circulating aldosterone levels and mortality in elderly female individuals are lacking. The authors therefore aimed to assess the relationship between circulating aldosterone levels and mortality in a population-based cohort study of female nursing home residents. Higher circulating aldosterone levels are related to an increased mortality risk in elderly female nursing home residents. ...

3 Delayed diagnosis of primary aldosteronism in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney diseases Journal of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System, February 19, 2013
Kao CC et al. - Hypertension is a frequent early manifestation of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Several mechanisms can cause hypertension in ADPKD patients, although, primary aldosteronism (PA) as a possible manifestation of hypertension in ADPKD is extremely rare. The diagnosis of PA in ADPKD is extremely challenging because multiple renal cysts can obscure the identification of adrenal adenomas, and ADPKD is associated with hypertension in almost all cases. ...

4 Primary aldosteronism and potassium channel mutations Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, May 2, 2013
Stowasser M - The purpose of this review is to summarize and discuss data from recent studies implicating mutations in potassium channel genes in the pathogenesis of primary aldosteronism. These findings shed considerable light on the pathophysiology of primary aldosteronism with the potential to lead to new diagnostic approaches and treatments.

5 Evolving research in nongenomic actions of aldosterone Current Opinion in Endocrinology, Diabetes and Obesity, May 2, 2013
Williams JS - This review will explore recent novel pathways regulating aldosterone action, focusing on the nongenomic pathways. Substantial progress in detailing the molecular biology of aldosterone regulation and action should facilitate study of how it exerts detrimental effects in cardiometabolic diseases. However, to date, the clinical impact of these discoveries has not been validated. Translational efforts are now required to determine if novel therapeutic targets can be developed.

6 Endothelial mineralocorticoid receptor activation mediates endothelial dysfunction in diet-induced obesity European Heart Journal, May 6, 2013
Schafer N et al. - Aldosterone plays a crucial role in cardiovascular disease. ‘Systemic’ inhibition of its mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) decreases atherosclerosis by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Obesity, an important cardiovascular risk factor, is an inflammatory disease associated with increased plasma aldosterone levels. The authors have investigated the role of the ‘endothelial’ MR in obesity-induced endothelial dysfunction, the earliest stage in atherogenesis. ...

7 Effect of Spironolactone on Diastolic Function and Exercise Capacity in Patients With Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction: The Aldo-DHF Randomized Controlled Trial JAMA, March 6, 2013
Edelmann F et al. - Diastolic heart failure (ie, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction) is a common condition without established therapy, and aldosterone stimulation may contribute to its progression. To assess the efficacy and safety of long-term aldosterone receptor blockade in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. The primary objective was to determine whether spironolactone is superior to placebo in improving diastolic function and maximal exercise ...

8 Direct Renin Inhibitor Induced Renal Failure American Journal of Therapeutics, May 17, 2013
Vallakati A et al. - Aliskiren, a direct renin inhibitor, is a novel antihypertensive agent with placebo-like tolerability. The patient developed acute renal failure after addition of aliskiren to combination of diuretic, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor and aldosterone antagonist. This case highlights the point that acute renal failure can occur as an adverse effect of aliskiren. Because there is no conclusive evidence about the safety of aliskiren when used in ...

9 Effect of longer term modest salt reduction on blood pressure: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised trials British Medical Journal, April 25, 2013
He F.J. et al.- To determine the effects of longer term modest salt reduction on blood pressure, hormones, and lipids. A modest reduction in salt intake for four or more weeks causes significant and, from a population viewpoint, important falls in blood pressure in both hypertensive and normotensive individuals, irrespective of sex and ethnic group. Salt reduction is associated with a small physiological increase in plasma renin activity, aldosterone, and noradrenaline and no ...

10 Antihypertensive treatment in diabetic patients- Review of current data Maturitas, April 15, 2013
Argyrakopoulou G et al. - In the present article authors review key studies regarding the current knowledge for blood pressure (BP) goals in people with diabetes, the treatment used and the possible diabetogenic effects of antihypertensive drugs, as well as the beneficial and non-beneficial combinations of antihypertensive drugs in diabetic patients. Recent studies examining the role of combined use of available renin–angiotensin–aldosterone axis blockers versus its separate use ...