Long‐Term Effects of Renal Sympathetic Denervation on Hypertensive Patients With Mild to Moderate Chronic Kidney Disease

Thirty patients who underwent percutaneous renal denervation, which was performed by a single operator following the standard technique, were enrolled in this study. Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 2 (n=19), 3 (n=6), and 4 (n=5) were included. Data were obtained at baseline and at monthly intervals for the first 6 months. At 7 months, follow-up data were collected bimonthly until month 12, after which data were collected on a quarterly basis. Baseline blood pressure values (mean±standard deviation) were 185±18/107±13 mm Hg in the office and 152±17/93±11 mm Hg through 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Three patients with stage 4 CKD required chronic renal replacement therapy (one at the 13-month follow-up and two at the 14-month follow-up) after episodes of acute renal injury; their follow-up was subsequently discontinued. The office blood pressure values at the 24-month follow-up were 131±15/87±9 mm Hg (P<.0001, for both comparisons); the corresponding ABPM values were 132±14/84±12 mm Hg (P<.0001, for both comparisons). The mean estimated glomerular filtration rate increased from 61.9±23.9 mL/min/1.73 m(2) to 88.0±39.8 mL/min/1.73 m(2) (P<.0001). The urine albumin:creatinine ratio decreased from 99.8 mg/g (interquartile range, 38.0-192.1) to 11.0 mg/g (interquartile range, 4.1-28.1; P<.0001 mg/g). At the end of the follow-up period, 21 patients (70% of the initial sample) were no longer classified as having CKD.