scholarly journals THERAPY OF ENDOCRINE DISEASE: Medical treatment of primary aldosteronism

2019 ◽  
Vol 181 (4) ◽  
pp. R147-R153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Lechner ◽  
Katharina Lechner ◽  
Daniel Heinrich ◽  
Christian Adolf ◽  
Finn Holler ◽  
...  

In patients with primary aldosteronism, specific treatment provides prognostic benefit over optimal antihypertensive therapy and is therefore crucial to reduce mortality and morbidity in this subgroup of patients with hypertension. Prognostic relevance has been shown for adrenalectomy in unilateral disease and for medical treatment with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. Collectively, evidence points to the superiority of surgical treatment compared to medical treatment. The causal approach of removing the mineralocorticoid excess, as well as the often-accompanying glucocorticoid excess, might provide one biologically plausible explanation for the observation of slightly better outcomes with surgical therapy. However, in patients living with primary aldosteronism, medical treatment is often insufficient for three major reasons. First and foremost, no marker of sufficient aldosterone blockade has yet been established and therefore adequate treatment of the aldosterone excess is often dismissed as a treatment goal. Second, side effects often limit patient compliance. Third, as recommendations differ from other indications like heart failure, drug dosing is often inadequate. The aim of this review is first to provide an overview over medical treatment options and second to review potential markers for treatment surveillance in patients with primary aldosteronism.

2015 ◽  
Vol 172 (4) ◽  
pp. 443-450 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianne Weigel ◽  
Anna Riester ◽  
Gregor Hanslik ◽  
Katharina Lang ◽  
Holger S Willenberg ◽  
...  

ObjectiveThe saline infusion test (SIT) is widely used as a confirmatory test for primary aldosteronism (PA). SIT results are judged as follows: post-test aldosterone levels <50 ng/l exclude PA, whereas levels >50 ng/l confirm PA. We hypothesized that post-SIT aldosterone concentrations indicate the severity of PA and might predict outcome.DesignThe study includes 256 PA patients of the German Conn's Registry who prospectively underwent SIT. The data of 126 patients with complete follow-up of 1.2±0.3 years after diagnosis were analyzed. The patients were divided into two groups with post-SIT aldosterone levels of 50–100 ng/l (group 1; n=38) and of >100 ng/l (group 2; n=88).ResultsPatients in group 2 had a significantly shorter duration of hypertension (7.5 vs 11.7 years (median), P=0.014), higher systolic blood pressure (BP; 151±16 vs 143±17 mmHg, P=0.036), lower serum potassium (3.3±0.6 vs 3.5±0.4 mmol/l, P=0.006), higher 24-h urine protein excretion (7.4 vs 5.4 mg/dl (median), P=0.012), and were more often female (P=0.038). They showed more often unilateral disease (P<0.005) with larger tumors (14±10 vs 7±10 mm, P=0.021), underwent more often adrenalectomy (75% vs 37%, P<0.005), required a lower number of antihypertensive drugs after adrenalectomy (1.2±1.2 vs 2.5±1.4, P=0.001), had a faster normalization of urinary protein excretion (with medical treatment P=0.049; with Adx P<0.005) at follow-up, and more frequently underlying well-characterized mutation (P=0.047).ConclusionsPA patients with post-SIT aldosterone levels of >100 ng/l have a more rapid development of PA caused more frequently by unilateral disease with larger aldosterone-producing adenomas. However, this group of patients may have a significantly better outcome following specific treatment.


1996 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 7-12
Author(s):  
Ruth Torkelson Lynch ◽  
Susan Gallagher-Lepak

The life quality potential and functional outcome status of individuals with chronic renal failure has been and will continue to be influenced by improved medical treatment options. Rehabilitation counselors are strongly urged to keep their knowledge up-to-date regarding developments in healthcare and technology in order to readjust their perspectives regarding rehabilitation possibilities. The progression of chronic renal failure is described followed by an update on current medical treatment options. Functional implications are presented with an emphasis on how specific treatment methods impact functional outcomes. Rehabilitation counseling practice guidelines are provided for assessment, counseling, and job placement.


2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (4) ◽  
pp. 409-418
Author(s):  
Tomaz Kocjan ◽  
Mojca Jensterle ◽  
Gaj Vidmar ◽  
Rok Vrckovnik ◽  
Pavel Berden ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is essential for diagnostics of primary aldosteronism, distinguishing unilateral from bilateral disease and determining treatment options. We reviewed the performance of AVS for primary aldosteronism at our center during first 15 years, comparing the initial period to the period after the introduction of a dedicated radiologist. Additionally, AVS outcomes were checked against CT findings and the proportion of operated patients with proven unilateral disease was estimated. Patients and methods A retrospective cross-sectional study conducted at the national endocrine referral center included all patients with primary aldosteronism who underwent AVS after its introduction in 2004 until the end of 2018. AVS was performed sequentially during Synacthen infusion. When the ratio of cortisol concentrations from adrenal vein and inferior vena cava was at least 5, AVS was considered successful. Results Data from 235 patients were examined (168 men; age 32–73, median 56 years; BMI 18–48, median 30.4 kg/ m2). Average number of annual AVS procedures increased from 7 in the 2004–2011 period to 29 in the 2012–2018 period (p < 0.001). AVS had to be repeated in 10% of procedures; it was successful in 77% of procedures and 86% of patients. The proportion of patients with successful AVS (92% in 2012–2018 vs. 66% in 2004–2011, p < 0.001) and of successful AVS procedures (82% vs. 61%, p < 0.001) was statistically significantly higher in the recent period. Conclusions Number of AVS procedures and success rate at our center increased over time. Introduction of a dedicated radiologist and technical advance expanded and improved the AVS practice.


2017 ◽  
Vol 49 (12) ◽  
pp. 977-983 ◽  
Author(s):  
John Funder

AbstractThe management of primary aldosteronism is widely varied within various published guidelines, with very little in the way of data supporting the choice of one variation over others. Current estimates of prevalence are probably accurate for aldosterone producing adenoma, but fall very short of that for bilateral adrenal hyperplasia. Discovery at the level of basic science has proven illuminating over the past 6 years in terms of unilateral disease and both somatic and germline mutations, with much less focus on the much more common bilateral disease; Attempts at harmonization have begun – for example, criteria for complete/partial/absent cure after adrenalectomy for unilateral disease; again focus on bilateral disease is muted. A number of possibilities are suggested as agenda for active consideration and change, across a wide range of areas – referral patterns, screening, confirmation and lateralization, what will be needed is discussion and agreement, to fill the lacunae within the current guidelines. Those involved will want to change to make such an agenda possible.


2011 ◽  
Vol 152 (33) ◽  
pp. 1328-1336
Author(s):  
Péter Pál Varga ◽  
István Béla Bors ◽  
Áron Lazáry

Vertebral compression fracture is the most common type of fractures in osteoporosis increasing the mortality and morbidity of the systemic disease. Adequate treatment of the vertebral compression fractures is always in the focus of the national and international spine meetings and one of the most innovative fields in the spine care is the surgical therapy of the osteoporotic spine. Here, the authors summarize the orthopedic treatment options for vertebral compression fractures based on a literature review


2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (6) ◽  
pp. 950
Author(s):  
Magali Van den Kerkhof ◽  
Yann Sterckx ◽  
Philippe Leprohon ◽  
Louis Maes ◽  
Guy Caljon

Kinetoplastids are the causative agents of leishmaniasis, human African trypanosomiasis, and American trypanosomiasis. They are responsible for high mortality and morbidity in (sub)tropical regions. Adequate treatment options are limited and have several drawbacks, such as toxicity, need for parenteral administration, and occurrence of treatment failure and drug resistance. Therefore, there is an urgency for the development of new drugs. Phenotypic screening already allowed the identification of promising new chemical entities with anti-kinetoplastid activity potential, but knowledge on their mode-of-action (MoA) is lacking due to the generally applied whole-cell based approach. However, identification of the drug target is essential to steer further drug discovery and development. Multiple complementary techniques have indeed been used for MoA elucidation. In this review, the different ‘omics’ approaches employed to define the MoA or mode-of-resistance of current reference drugs and some new anti-kinetoplastid compounds are discussed.


2018 ◽  
Vol 50 (08) ◽  
pp. 620-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marieke Velema ◽  
Jannie Terlouw ◽  
Aline de Nooijer ◽  
Marjan Nijkamp ◽  
Nele Jacobs ◽  
...  

AbstractPrimary aldosteronism (PA) is an increasingly identified cause of secondary hypertension. PA can be caused by an aldosterone-producing adenoma or by bilateral adrenal hyperplasia, generally treated by adrenalectomy or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists, respectively. Recent studies suggest that PA is associated with more psychological symptoms and lower levels of well-being. The purpose of this study was to investigate the associations between subtype of PA and psychological symptoms and well-being after specific treatment. We analyzed the outcomes of the Mental Health Continuum-Short Form and the Symptom Checklist in 160 patients (mean age 57 years; 74.3% males) with PA, comparing the scores for psychological symptoms and well-being between both subtypes of PA. Additionally, we performed subgroup analyses based on gender, age, time since initiation of treatment, and co-morbidity. Moreover, we compared the results with published norm scores. Mean follow-up after adrenalectomy or start of medication was four years and two months. Depressive symptoms, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive thoughts and well-being did not differ between subtypes of PA. Subgroup analysis did not reveal any differences, except for women with bilateral adrenal hyperplasia who scored higher on the anxiety subscale than women after adrenalectomy. Compared to the general population, patients with treated PA reported more psychological symptoms. In contrast, well-being did not differ significantly from norm scores. Subtype and treatment of PA were no important determinants of psychological symptoms and well-being on the long-term. We suggest that physicians should be alert for psychological symptoms, as these were more frequently present in patients with PA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (1) ◽  
pp. 147032032110037
Author(s):  
Ying Jing ◽  
Kangla Liao ◽  
Ruolin Li ◽  
Shumin Yang ◽  
Ying Song ◽  
...  

Objectives: To compare the effect of surgical or medical treatment on the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) and all-cause mortality in patients with established primary aldosteronism (PA). Methods: We searched PUBMED, MEDLINE and Cochrane Library for the meta-analysis. We included patients who were diagnosed with PA following guideline-supported protocols and received surgery or mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (MRA)-based medical treatment, and age-sex matched patients with treated essential hypertension (EH). Primary endpoints were CVD incidence and all-cause mortality. Results: Compared with EH, patients with treated PA had a higher risk of CVD [odds ratio (OR) 1.79; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39–2.31]. This elevated risk was only observed in patients with medically treated PA [OR 2.11; 95%CI 1.88–2.38] but not in those with surgically treated PA. The risk of all-cause mortality was significantly lower in patients with treated PA [OR 0.86; 95% CI 0.77–0.95] compared to EH. The reduced risk was only observed in patients with surgically treated PA [OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.34–0.66], but not in those with medically treated PA. Conclusions: Patients with medically treated PA have a higher risk of CVD compared to patients with EH. Surgical treatment of PA reduces the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality in patients with PA.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (13) ◽  
pp. 2803
Author(s):  
Carolin Czauderna ◽  
Martha M. Kirstein ◽  
Hauke C. Tews ◽  
Arndt Vogel ◽  
Jens U. Marquardt

Cholangiocarcinomas (CCAs) are the second-most common primary liver cancers. CCAs represent a group of highly heterogeneous tumors classified based on anatomical localization into intra- (iCCA) and extrahepatic CCA (eCCA). In contrast to eCCA, the incidence of iCCA is increasing worldwide. Curative treatment strategies for all CCAs involve oncological resection followed by adjuvant chemotherapy in early stages, whereas chemotherapy is administered at advanced stages of disease. Due to late diagnosis, high recurrence rates, and limited treatment options, the prognosis of patients remains poor. Comprehensive molecular characterization has further revealed considerable heterogeneity and distinct prognostic and therapeutic traits for iCCA and eCCA, indicating that specific treatment modalities are required for different subclasses. Several druggable alterations and oncogenic drivers such as fibroblast growth factor receptor 2 gene fusions and hotspot mutations in isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 and 2 mutations have been identified. Specific inhibitors have demonstrated striking antitumor activity in affected subgroups of patients in phase II and III clinical trials. Thus, improved understanding of the molecular complexity has paved the way for precision oncological approaches. Here, we outline current advances in targeted treatments and immunotherapeutic approaches. In addition, we delineate future perspectives for different molecular subclasses that will improve the clinical care of iCCA patients.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 1073
Author(s):  
Patricia Martínez-Botía ◽  
Ángel Bernardo ◽  
Andrea Acebes-Huerta ◽  
Alberto Caro ◽  
Blanca Leoz ◽  
...  

The most severe clinical manifestations of the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), are due to an unbalanced immune response and a pro-thrombotic hemostatic disturbance, with arterial hypertension or diabetes as acknowledged risk factors. While waiting for a specific treatment, the clinical management of hospitalized patients is still a matter of debate, and the effectiveness of treatments to manage clinical manifestations and comorbidities has been questioned. In this study, we aim to assess the impact of the clinical management of arterial hypertension, inflammation and thrombosis on the survival of COVID-19 patients. The Spanish cohorts included in this observational retrospective study are from HM Hospitales (2035 patients) and from Hospital Universitario Central de Asturias (72 patients). Kaplan Meier survival curves, Cox regression and propensity score matching analyses were employed, considering demographic variables, comorbidities and treatment arms (when opportune) as covariates. The management of arterial hypertension with angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers is not detrimental, as was initially reported, and neither was the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). On the contrary, our analysis shows that the use on itself of corticosteroids is not beneficial. Importantly, the management of COVID-19 patients with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) as an anticoagulant significantly improves the survival of hospitalized patients. These results delineate the current treatment options under debate, supporting the effectiveness of thrombosis prophylaxis on COVID-19 patients as a first-line treatment without the need for compromising the treatment of comorbidities, while suggesting cautiousness when administering corticosteroids.


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