Prognostic impact of baseline urinary albumin excretion rate in patients with resistant hypertension: a prospective cohort study

J Hum Hypertens. 2018 Feb;32(2):139-149. doi: 10.1038/s41371-017-0013-2. Epub 2017 Dec 11.

Abstract

Moderately increased albuminuria, defined as urinary albumin excretion rate (UAER) between 30 and 300-mg/24-h is a well-known cardiovascular risk factor, especially in diabetic and hypertensive patients. This study aim to analyze the prognostic value of baseline UAER in a still understudied group, patients with resistant hypertension (RHT). This is a prospective observational study, which had enrolled 1048 outpatients with RHT, who were submitted to a clinical-laboratory assessment and ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) during the follow-up. Primary endpoints were a composite of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality and cardiovascular mortality. Survival analysis by multiple Cox regression assessed the associations among endpoints, baseline UAER, glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and ABPM control. After a mean 7.5 years follow-up, 233 patients died, 120 from cardiac death; 215 cardiovascular events occurred, 90 strokes and 116 coronary diseases. UAER above 30-mg/24-h increased above 40% the risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, and of all-cause mortality. At these UAER levels, secondary outcomes were associated to increased risk of stroke and risk of end-stage renal disease, but did not affect coronary events. Both the GFR below 60-mL/min and uncontrolled ABPM were related to nearly two-fold raised risk of fatal and non-fatal cardiovascular events, when coupled with UAER above 30-mg/24-h. In conclusion, moderately increased albuminuria predicts cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in RHT, and its prognostic impact is enhanced in association with a GFR under 60-mL/min and uncontrolled baseline ABPM.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Albuminuria*
  • Blood Pressure Monitoring, Ambulatory
  • Brazil / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Glomerular Filtration Rate
  • Humans
  • Hypertension / diagnosis
  • Hypertension / mortality
  • Hypertension / urine*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prognosis
  • Prospective Studies