Anti‐Inflammatory Effects and Prediction of Blood Pressure Response by Baseline Inflammatory State in Catheter‐Based Renal Denervation

This retrospective analysis aimed to examine off‐target effects on inflammatory and renal function parameters in n=78 subsequent patients treated with renal denervation ( RDN ) for resistant hypertension. Ambulatory and office blood pressure ( ABP / OBP ), serum creatinine, glomerular filtration rate ( GFR ), cystatin C, C‐reactive protein ( CRP ), interleukin‐6 ( IL ‐6), and white blood cell count ( WBC ) were assessed before, 6 and 12 months after RDN . ABP was significantly reduced by −8.2/−3.8 mm Hg ( P =.002/.021) at 1 year after RDN , while an initial OBP reduction was not sustained during follow‐up. IL ‐6 levels significantly decreased by −0.5 pg/mL ( P =.042) and by −1.7 pg/mL ( P <.001) at 6 and 12 months, baseline IL ‐6 levels possibly predicting ABP response to RDN ( r =−0.295; P =.020). Concurrently, leukocyte count was reduced by −0.5 × 10 3 /μL ( P =.017) and −0.8 × 10 3 /μL ( P <.001), respectively. Serum creatinine and GFR remained unchanged, but we observed a significant increase in cystatin C by 0.04 mg/L ( P =.026) and 0.14 mg/L ( P <.001) at 6 and 12 months after the intervention.