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Prediction of endogenous mineralocorticoid receptor activity by depressor effects of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in patients with primary aldosteronism

Hypertension Research (2024)Cite this article

Abstract

Patients with primary aldosteronism have an increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The response to mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists varies among individuals, indicating diverse mineralocorticoid receptor activities in these patients. This study explored the factors linked to the efficacy of blood pressure reduction through mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in patients with primary aldosteronism. We examined the relationship between the reduction in blood pressure and patient characteristics in a group of 41 patients with primary aldosteronism (24 males, mean age 55 ± 13 years, including 34 patients diagnosed with bilateral primary aldosteronism) before and after undergoing treatment with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. Significant reductions in office blood pressure were observed 3 and 6 months after treatment initiation. Single correlation analyses showed that the urinary chloride-to-potassium ratio displayed the strongest positive association with blood pressure reduction, surpassing plasma aldosterone concentration, plasma renin activity, and urinary sodium-to-potassium ratio, at 3 and 6 months. Multiple correlation analyses revealed a consistent and independent positive correlation between the urinary chloride-to-potassium ratio and blood pressure reduction at 3 and 6 months. The optimal threshold for the urinary chloride-to-potassium ratio with respect to its ability to lower blood pressure, was determined as 3.18. These results imply that the urinary chloride-to-potassium ratio may be independently associated with the effectiveness of blood pressure reduction facilitated by mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists. Moreover, it could potentially serve as a valuable predictor of the effectiveness of these agents and function as an indicator of endogenous mineralocorticoid receptor activity in patients with primary aldosteronism.

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Acknowledgements

We express our gratitude to the physicians and medical staff in our department who provided care to the patients enrolled in the study.

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  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Tokyo Women’s Medical University, Tokyo, Japan

    Makiko Ikemoto, Satoshi Morimoto & Atsuhiro Ichihara

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Correspondence to Satoshi Morimoto.

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Ikemoto, M., Morimoto, S. & Ichihara, A. Prediction of endogenous mineralocorticoid receptor activity by depressor effects of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists in patients with primary aldosteronism. Hypertens Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41440-024-01651-5

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