Active clinical trials for "Hyperaldosteronism"

The study is a Phase 1, single-centre, open label, micro-dosing study. The aim is to investigate an innovative new tracer, [18F]CETO, as a potential alternative to adrenal vein sampling for the lateralisation of primary aldosteronism (PA).

Majority of patients with hypertension have primary hypertension (without an underlying cause). Secondary hypertension (due to an underlying disease) is important to recognize, as treatment can lead to cure of hypertension. Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of secondary hypertension, and can be found in 5-10% of patients locally. PA is caused by excessive release of a hormone (aldosterone) from the adrenal glands, which can be unilateral (one gland) or bilateral (both glands). Distinction between two is crucial as unilateral disease is treated with the aim of cure by surgery, and bilateral disease is treated by medication. It has been shown that excess aldosterone has other harmful effects in addition to hypertension, such as directly affecting the heart, blood vessels, kidneys, diabetes and quality of life. This is supported by studies showing reversal of these effects after treatment for PA. In addition, improvements after surgery appears to be superior to medical treatment, although studies have found variable results. Hence, the investigators aim to accurately subtype patients with PA into unilateral or bilateral disease and study the post-treatment response after both surgery and medicine with regards to the effects on blood pressure, cardiovascular, renal, metabolic and quality of life.

Understudied drugs will be administered to children per standard of care as prescribed by their treating caregiver and only biological sample collection during the time of drug administration will be involved. A total of approximately 7000 children aged <21 years who are receiving these drugs for standard of care will be enrolled and will be followed for up a maximum of 90 days. The goal of this study is to characterize the pharmacokinetics of understudied drugs for which specific dosing recommendations and safety data are lacking. The prescribing of drugs to children will not be part of this protocol. Taking advantage of procedures done as part of routine medical care (i.e. blood draws) this study will serve as a tool to better understand drug exposure in children receiving these drugs per standard of care. The data collected through this initiative will also provide valuable pharmacokinetic and dosing information of drugs in different pediatric age groups as well as special pediatric populations (i.e. obese).

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most frequent form of secondary hypertension. It is caused by autonomous secretion of aldosterone, encompassing a group of disorders which is for 99% predominated by unilateral aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) and bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (BAH). Diagnosis of PA is relevant for two reasons: independent of the level of blood pressure, hypertension due to autonomous aldosterone secretion causes more cardiovascular damage than essential hypertension; PA requires specific treatment: adrenalectomy in case of APA and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) in case of BAH. Although previously presumed a rare condition (prevalence <1%), PA is now estimated to affect 6 to 20% of the hypertensive population. Given this high prevalence of PA, as well as the amount of cardiovascular damage and the available specific treatment, the question is raised whether screening of PA should be introduced in Dutch general practice. To answer this important question, several issues with regard to PA need to be elucidated: International studies report a prevalence of PA in general practice of 6-13%. Prevalence in the Dutch population is still unknown; Because of underdiagnosis of PA and long delay in diagnosis of PA after recognition of hypertension (mean eight years), data on characteristics of early diagnosed PA are lacking. Proof of early cardiovascular damage would strengthen the case of screening for PA and needs to be studied; Consequently, the diagnostic delay has lead to lack of data on optimal treatment in early PA. In the current guideline (NHG-guideline 'Cardiovascular risk management') a regimen of antihypertensive drugs is advised, and only if hypertension is refractory for >6 months patients are referred. It is unknown if hypertension is resistant to therapy in the initial phase of PA. If not, this would also argue for early biochemical screening for PA, because even if blood pressure is controlled, the detrimental effect of aldosterone itself will go on unopposed. It is therefore required to study the response to antihypertensive drugs (not MRA) in these patients.

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a disorder of the adrenal gland causing an autonomous overproduction of mineralocorticoids, leading to arterial hypertension. Although rare, it is the most frequent cause of secondary hypertension. Early detection is important to avoid end organ damage, specifically cardiovascular and metabolic morbidity. Recent studies showed a positive correlation between patients with PA with lower bone density especially at the spine, with significant improvement post treatment, either medically or surgically. There was also a positive correlation between high aldosterone renin ratio with higher levels of intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) which is responsible for cortical bone loss especially at the distal forearm. We hypothesize that our patients with PA have a higher level of iPTH, with lower bone density especially at the distal forearm, with improvement post treatment.

Patients with primary aldosteronism, which is the most prevalent form of secondary hypertension, have an increased rate of cardiovascular events, compared to patients with essential hypertension, even with equal severity of hypertension. This might be partially attributed to the association of increased aldosterone levels with insulin resistance. How this relation can be explained from a pathophysiological point of view, is insufficiently established. Recently, microvascular dysfunction has been proposed as a link between insulin resistance and hypertension. Loss of NO-mediated vasodilation is an important feature of microvascular dysfunction; in addition, an impaired insulin-mediated microvascular NO production has been suggested to underlie the reduction in insulin-stimulated glucose disposal that is characteristic of insulin-resistant states. Increased aldosterone levels are not only associated with insulin resistance, but also with endothelial dysfunction. In addition, they interfere with the vascular effects of insulin. Therefore, the investigators hypothesize that in patients with primary aldosteronism, increased aldosterone levels induce microvascular dysfunction through reduction of NO-availability, which contributes to the development of insulin resistance, and of hypertension, in addition to the sodium-retaining effects of aldosterone.

During routine subtyping of confirmed primary aldosteronism by adrenal vein sampling extra plasma samples are drawn from both renal veins and from inferior vena cava. Plasma renin concentration and renin activity are analysed from these samples. Adrenal computed tomographies are analysed for cysts and other possible pathology by a blinded radiologist. Aim is to evaluate correlation between renal pathology and renin measurements.

To investigate the prevalence of primary aldosteronism (PA) in Chinese patients with newly diagnosed hypertension.

To evaluate long-term results of adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism (PA) and to identify prognostic factors associated. Exhaustive retrospective review of all consecutive patients undergoing adrenalectomy for PA between 2002 and 2013 in our department. All patients underwent preoperative: clinical evaluation (age, sex, height, weight, systolic and diastolic BP under treatment, identification of anti-hypertension treatment), biological evaluation (potassium, renin, aldosterone) and radiological evaluation (CT and/or MRI). Blood pressure was assessed postoperatively at 1 month, 1 year, then at the date of the latest news. The patients were classified into three categories: cured (no antihypertensive therapy in postoperative associated with strictly lower blood pressures of 140/90mmHg), improved (decreased number of drugs or number unchanged but with better blood pressure control), and refractory (no change in the number of drug and blood pressure, or deterioration of one or other of these two parameters).

Recent human studies found tissue sodium storage in patients with hyperaldosteronism that could be detected non-invasively by 23Na-MRI. Tissue sodium accumulation could be mobilized upon treatment of hyperaldosteronism. Besides, former animal studies applying chemical electrolyte analysis indicate that this aldosterone induced sodium storage might be accompanied by intracellular potassium loss. Wether such an intracellular tissue Potassium loss occurs in vivo in patients with hyperaldosteronism and if this deficiency can be corrected by treatment is unclear. The investigators will employ 39K-MR Imaging at 7Tesla to further assess this hypothesis.