Diagnosis and treatment of primary aldosteronism: practical clinical perspectives

Primary Hyperaldosteronism: A Comprehensive Review of Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Primary hyperaldosteronism (PA) is the most common endocrine cause of hypertension, characterized by autonomous aldosterone hormone production from the adrenal glands. It encompasses a wide spectrum of renin-independent aldosterone production with diverse histopathological etiologies. A vast majority of PA is caused by bilateral disease, remains underdiagnosed and is linked to serious cardiometabolic risks. This review outlines our current understanding of the etiopathogenesis of PA, and provides a comprehensive overview of the diagnostic strategies and management of PA.

Screening for primary aldosteronism in 1,181 Swedish primary care patients with hypertension

Objective

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a common cause of hypertension. It entails elevated morbidity and mortality that do not sufficiently improve with conventional antihypertensive therapy. Screening for PA by plasma aldosterone-renin ratio (ARR) enables discovery and specific treatment of affected patients. By screening primary care patients with hypertension and evaluating them further according to the Endocrine Society guidelines, we aimed to assess the prevalence of PA, the factors affecting biochemical diagnostics, and the outcome of lateralization studies and of specific treatment of the discovered PA cases.

Design patients and methods

Prospective evaluation of screening for PA was conducted in 1,181 patients. Screening by ARR was performed under current therapy, but without mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA), under normokalemia, and confirmed by the intravenous saline suppression test, SST#1. Those with results in a defined gray zone underwent therapy adjustment and then completed SST#2. Plasma aldosterone and ARR were compared under different stages of the diagnostic process. All patients with PA were offered adrenal venous sampling, or, in certain cases, adrenocortical-specific positron emission tomography. Lateralizing cases were offered laparoscopic adrenalectomy. Patients with bilateral disease were treated with MRA. Treatment results were assessed after a minimum of 6 months.

Results

A total of 53 discovered cases of (mostly mild) PA corresponded to its prevalence of 4.5%. Initial seated ARR was higher than recumbent ARR before SST#1. At SST#2, initial ARR and final aldosterone were higher than at SST#1. Localizing studies (accepted by 45 patients) found 14 lateralized cases. Of the 11 operated cases, 4 had aldosterone-producing adenoma, and the remainder had micro- and macronodular histopathology. A total of 31 patients had bilateral PA. Both surgical and conservative treatments were well tolerated and led to improved blood pressure and higher renin, indicating risk amelioration.

Conclusions

PA is prevalent among primary care patients with hypertension and can be screened for under current antihypertensive therapy. Aldosterone-producing adenoma was rare in this cohort. The study results support active screening of primary care patients with hypertension for PA in order to offer appropriate treatment options.

Primary aldosteronism: Screening, diagnosis, and management

ABSTRACT

Hypertension (HTN) is a common condition that physician associates (PAs) encounter in clinical practice. Of patients with HTN, about 10% have secondary HTN, of which primary aldosteronism is one of the most common causes. Primary aldosteronism is a condition in which the adrenal glands produce excess aldosterone, and it contributes to HTN development by inducing sodium and water retention. Primary aldosteronism is underdiagnosed, as it can be hard to identify due to its lack of specific signs and symptoms. Moreover, without proper treatment, patients are at higher risk of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, metabolic syndrome, osteoporosis, and lower quality of life. It is therefore critical for PAs to be aware of indicators for primary aldosteronism screening. This review discusses primary aldosteronism screening and treatment in primary care while highlighting appropriate specialist referral.

Resolution of paradoxical bilateral aldosterone suppression with mass spectrometry

OBJECTIVE

Adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is the standard-of-care for primary aldosteronism (PA) subtyping. Paradoxical bilateral aldosterone suppression (BAS), defined by lower aldosterone/cortisol ratio in both adrenal veins compared to peripheral circulation, has been reported in AVS studies, but the underlying causes remain poorly understood. We aimed to assess the prevalence of BAS in AVS without and with cosyntropin stimulation based on clinical immunoassays, and to probe the BAS results using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS).

METHODS

We retrospectively assessed the BAS prevalence among patients with confirmed PA who underwent AVS in a referral center between 2015 and 2023. Simultaneous AVS was performed both before and after cosyntropin stimulation. LC-MS/MS quantitation of cortisol and aldosterone was performed in patients with serum available.

RESULTS

Of 402 patients, BAS was observed in 102 (25%): Pre-cosyntropin in 31, post-cosyntropin in 48 (including 10 who did not meet successful catheterization criteria in baseline samples), and both pre- and post- cosyntropin in 23. Paradoxically, AVS indicated lateralized PA in 36% and 43% of patients with BAS based on pre- and post-cosyntropin data, respectively. Using LC-MS/MS, BAS was not present in 42/53 (79%) patients with serum available. Compared to LC-MS/MS, immunoassays overestimated cortisol across the analytical range. In contrast, for aldosterone, immunoassays overestimated low concentrations, but underestimated high concentrations, such as those measured in adrenal veins.

CONCLUSIONS

Apparent BAS derives primarily from artifacts in clinical immunoassays. These data caution against assuming that aldosterone suppression indicates contralateral aldosterone lateralization in cases with partial adrenal vein catheterization failure.

Assessing Lateralization Index of Adrenal Venous Sampling for Surgical Indication in Primary Aldosteronism

CONTEXT

Clinical practice guidelines recommend the lateralization index (LI) as the standard for determining surgical eligibility in primary aldosteronism (PA).

OBJECTIVE

Our goal was to identify the optimal LI cutoffs in adrenal venous sampling (AVS) for diagnosing PA that is amenable to surgical cure.

METHODS

We conducted a retrospective international cohort study across 16 institutions in 11 countries, including 1550 patients with PA who underwent AVS, with and/or without adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) stimulation. The establishment of optimal cutoffs was informed by a survey of 82 patients with PA in Japan, aimed at determining the LI cutoff aligned with patient expectations for a surgical cure rate.

RESULTS

The survey revealed that a median cure rate expectation of 80% would motivate patients with PA towards undergoing adrenalectomy. The optimal LI cutoffs achieving an adjusted positive predictive value (PPV) of 80% were identified as 3.8 for unstimulated AVS and 3.4 for ACTH-stimulated AVS. Furthermore, a contralateral ratio of less than 0.4 and the detection of an adrenal nodule on computed tomography imaging were identified as independent predictors of surgically curable PA. Incorporating these factors with the optimal LI cutoffs, the adjusted PPV increased to 96.6% for unstimulated AVS and 89.6% for ACTH-stimulated AVS. No clear differences in predictive ability between unstimulated and ACTH-stimulated LI were found.

CONCLUSION

The present study clarified the optimal LI cutoffs for without and with ACTH stimulation. The presence of contralateral suppression and adrenal nodule on CT imaging seems to provide additional available information besides LI for surgical indication.

Remission of persistent hypertension and hypokalaemia following redo adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism - case report

We report on a case of a 67-year-old male who was referred to our care with persistent aldosteronism post adrenalectomy. Biochemical failure after surgery is rare after surgery for primary aldosteronism (PA). Persistent hypokalaemia and raised aldosteronism is an indication of treatment failure after surgery. Causes of failure may be multiple aldosterone producing nodules or diffuse hyperplasia, inappropriate or incomplete lateralization studies, presence of CACNA1D -mutated aldosterone producing adenomas (APAs) and incomplete or partial adrenalectomy. In our case the persistent disease was imaged with METOMIDATE PET as the patient had a previous history of adrenal vein clipping during index surgery. The patient underwent reoperative adrenalectomy and was cured of hypokalaemia and hypertension, despite a long duration of his disease. This case highlights some of the reasons for biochemical failure and work up of the patient for reoperative surgery.

Percutaneous Microwave Ablation for Aldosterone-Producing Adenoma

Thirty-five patients diagnosed with aldosterone-producing adenomas (APAs) underwent computed tomography (CT)-guided percutaneous microwave ablation (MWA). Comparisons of aldosterone-to-renin ratio, potassium level, blood pressure (BP), and medications were performed preprocedurally, postprocedurally, and at the latest follow-up examination. The outcome assessment was based on the Primary Aldosteronism Surgical Outcome (PASO) standards. Hypokalemia was corrected in all patients. The BPs postprocedurally and at the latest follow-up (138 [128-152]/85 [75-95] mm Hg and 130 [120-140]/85 [80-90] mm Hg, respectively) were significantly lower than preprocedural BP (156 [149-170]/100 [90-106] mm Hg). The number of antihypertensive medications was reduced from 3 (2-3) to 1 (0-1). The biochemical outcomes were 89% complete success (CS), 7% partial success (PS), and 4% absent success (AS). The clinical outcomes were 37% CS, 60% PS, and 3% AS. Hypertensive crisis occurred in 20%, controlled by α-adrenergic blockade. CT-guided percutaneous MWA is an effective treatment for APA with biochemical and clinical outcomes comparable to adrenalectomy by PASO standards.

Short- and long-term outcomes of adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism in a single UK center: rear-mirror view

PURPOSE

Primary aldosteronism (PA), which is the commonest cause of secondary hypertension, can be cured by unilateral adrenalectomy. We report the short-and long-term outcomes after adrenalectomy performed at a single UK center over a period of 24 years.

METHODS

Retrospective analysis of biochemical (potassium, aldosterone, renin, and ARR) radiological (CT/MRI, AVS, and nuclear scans), and clinical (surgical complications, blood pressure, and number of antihypertensive medications) short-and long-terms outcomes in patients who underwent adrenalectomy for PA between 1998 and 2021. Standardized PASO and Clavien-Dindo criteria to assess biochemical, clinical, and surgical outcomes were used.

RESULTS

A total of 82 patients were treated via adrenalectomy for PA over a 24-year period. Short-term follow-up data (within 3 months after surgery) was available for all 82 patients (M45, F37, mean age 51.7 years): 24 of them were followed up for at least 60 months (range 60 to 72 months) and 77 (93.9%) patients had laparoscopic surgery (one conversion). Seven patients had postoperative complications classified as Clavien-Dindo II (4), IIIa(1) and IVa(2). Median LOS was 2.5 days (1-12). Complete and partial clinical success was achieved in 29 and 58.3% and 41.7 and 45.8% of patients in the short and the long term, respectively. Clinical benefit was observed in 88% of patients. Complete biochemical success was achieved in 95.8% of patients in the short and the long term.

CONCLUSION

Unilateral adrenalectomy in patients with PA showed clinical benefit in 88% and achieved biochemical cure in almost all of them. Our data suggest that these benefits persisted for at least 5 years.

Hypertension Management in Women With a Multidisciplinary Approach

Current clinical practice guidelines were established by several organizations to guide the diagnosis and treatment of hypertension in men and women in a similar manner despite data demonstrating differences in underlying mechanisms. Few publications have provided a contemporary and comprehensive review focused on characteristics of hypertension that are unique to women across their life spectrum. We performed a computerized search using PubMed, OVID, EMBASE, and Cochrane library databases between 1995 and 2023 that highlighted relevant clinical studies, challenges to the management of hypertension in women, and multidisciplinary approaches to hypertension control in women, including issues unique to racial and ethnic minority groups. Despite our current understanding of underlying mechanisms and strategies to manage hypertension in women, numerous challenges remain. Here, we discuss potential factors contributing to hypertension in women, differences related to effects of lifestyle modifications and drug therapy between men and women, the impact of sleep, and the importance of recognizing disparities in socioeconomic conditions and access to care. This review outlines several opportunities for future studies to fill gaps in knowledge to achieve optimal control of hypertension in women using a multidisciplinary approach, particularly related to sex-specific treatment approaches while considering socioeconomic conditions and life stages from premenopause through the transition to menopause.

Normotensive Primary Aldosteronism - Does it Exist?

Heightened aldosterone levels are associated with increased risk of renal sequelae, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Historically, primary aldosteronism is linked to hypertension. However, growing evidence reveals its presence even in normotensive individuals. This review consolidates data from diverse sources, delves into clinical studies of this underexplored condition, discusses the potential mechanisms, and provides a comprehensive and an up-to-date overview of the current state of knowledge. It highlights the evidence and understanding of normotensive primary aldosteronism, summarizes findings, and identifies opportunities for future research in this area. By addressing the clinical evidence, risk of hypertension development and possible mechanisms involved, this review aims to advance the understanding of this distinct form of primary aldosteronism and inspire further research in this emerging field.

Occurrence of Metabolic Disorders in Bilateral Primary Aldosteronism Compared to Unilateral Primary Aldosteronism

BACKGROUND

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a common comorbidity associated with hypertension that occurs more often in primary aldosteronism (PA). Our work aims to investigate the prevalence of MetS and its determinants in unilateral PA and bilateral PA, as confirmed by adrenal venous sampling (AVS).

METHODS

This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study. We investigated metabolic indicators in 160 cases of PA, categorized by AVS-82 with unilateral PA and 78 with bilateral PA. A control group of 80 non-PA patients with essential hypertension, matched for age and sex, was also included.

RESULTS

Unilateral PA had a higher aldosterone-renin ratio and lower serum potassium levels than bilateral PA. Nevertheless, bilateral PA exhibited a higher prevalence of MetS (41% vs. 30.5%; p = 0.001), obesity, BMI, LDL hypercholesterolemia, and hypertriglyceridemia than unilateral PA.

CONCLUSIONS

Bilateral PA presents a greater incidence of MetS than unilateral PA, in spite of the latter showing a higher aldosterone-renin ratio and lower serum potassium levels. The results suggest that the mechanisms underlying MetS may differ between unilateral and bilateral PA.

Adrenal Volume Quantitative Visualization Tool by Multiple Parameters and an nnU-Net Deep Learning Automatic Segmentation Model

Abnormalities in adrenal gland size may be associated with various diseases. Monitoring the volume of adrenal gland can provide a quantitative imaging indicator for such conditions as adrenal hyperplasia, adrenal adenoma, and adrenal cortical adenocarcinoma. However, current adrenal gland segmentation models have notable limitations in sample selection and imaging parameters, particularly the need for more training on low-dose imaging parameters, which limits the generalization ability of the models, restricting their widespread application in routine clinical practice. We developed a fully automated adrenal gland volume quantification and visualization tool based on the no new U-Net (nnU-Net) for the automatic segmentation of deep learning models to address these issues. We established this tool by using a large dataset with multiple parameters, machine types, radiation doses, slice thicknesses, scanning modes, phases, and adrenal gland morphologies to achieve high accuracy and broad adaptability. The tool can meet clinical needs such as screening, monitoring, and preoperative visualization assistance for adrenal gland diseases. Experimental results demonstrate that our model achieves an overall dice coefficient of 0.88 on all images and 0.87 on low-dose CT scans. Compared to other deep learning models and nnU-Net model tools, our model exhibits higher accuracy and broader adaptability in adrenal gland segmentation.

68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT for the assessment of therapeutic outcomes following superselective adrenal arterial embolization in patients with primary aldosteronism

BACKGROUND

Superselective adrenal artery embolization (SAAE) represents a novel therapeutic strategy for managing primary aldosteronism (PA). Currently, the evaluation of its efficacy is primarily restricted to clinical indicators, with a notable deficiency in imaging evaluation methodologies. In recent years, several studies have investigated the application of 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT for the classification of PA. However, there is a scarcity of specific research investigating the role of PET/CT in the evaluation of efficacy of this condition. Consequently, this study aims to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of SAAE in patients with PA using 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT, with the objective of establishing imaging evaluation methodologies for assessing PA patients post-SAAE treatment.

RESULTS

Of the 27 patients, 2 achieved complete clinical remission, while 25 experienced partial remission. Biochemically, 13 patients attained complete remission, 13 had partial remission, and 1 did not. For patients with aldosterone-producing adenoma, both visual and semi-quantitative analyses of PET/CT effectively assessed changes in radioactive uptake of the lesion. For idiopathic hyperaldosteronism patients, PET/CT parameters were more effective than visual analysis in evaluating SAAE efficacy. A significant difference in the ΔTLR-40 min parameter was observed across biochemical outcomes (P = 0.041), with patients having ΔTLR-40 min ≥ 0.07 showing better outcomes (AUC = 0.789, P = 0.041).

CONCLUSIONS

68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT enables timely assessment of therapeutic outcomes in patients with PA following SAAE, thereby improving clinical decision-making and patient management.

Bilateral superselective adrenal artery embolization for bilateral primary aldosteronism: a novel approach in an efficacy and safety proof-of-principle trial

Superselective adrenal artery embolization (SAAE) offers a novel approach for treating primary aldosteronism (PA). In this study, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of SAAE for the treatment of PA based on the lateralization results obtained from adrenal vein sampling (AVS).In this prospective study, we enrolled 40 patients with PA who underwent SAAE. The patients were categorized into two groups, unilateral PA and bilateral PA, based on AVS results. Clinical parameters and biochemical markers were assessed at 3 and 12 months postoperatively. The primary outcomes were changes in blood pressure and defined daily dose (DDD) of antihypertensive medications compared to baseline. Thirty-eight patients achieved technical success, with favorable clinical and biochemical efficacy rates. At three months postoperatively, the clinical efficacy rates were 79.2% and 78.6% for the UPA and BPA groups, respectively. At 12 months, the rates were 83.3% and 71.4%, respectively. Both groups exhibited a significant decrease in average blood pressure at 3 and 12 months compared with baseline (P < 0.001), and there was also a notable reduction in DDD (P < 0.05). At three months, the biochemical efficacy rates were 61.9% and 58.3% in the UPA and BPA groups, respectively. Due to loss to follow-up, biochemical indicators were not assessed at 12 months postoperatively. No severe adverse reactions occurred during or after SAAE. Patients with both UPA and BPA can benefit from SAAE. The superiority of bilateral adrenal artery embolization in the treatment of BPA over unilateral adrenal artery embolization requires further investigation.

GAPPA: Enhancing prognosis prediction in primary aldosteronism post-adrenalectomy using graph-based modeling

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE

Predicting postoperative prognosis is vital for clinical decision making in patients undergoing adrenalectomy (ADX). This study introduced GAPPA, a novel GNN-based approach, to predict post-ADX outcomes in patients with unilateral primary aldosteronism (UPA). The objective was to leverage the intricate dependencies between clinico-biochemical features and clinical outcomes using GNNs integrated into a bipartite graph structure to enhance prognostic prediction accuracy.

METHODS

We conceptualized prognostic prediction as a link prediction task on a bipartite graph, with nodes representing patients, clinico-biochemical features, and clinical outcomes, and edges denoting the connections between them. GAPPA utilizes GNNs to capture these dependencies and seamlessly integrates the outcome predictions into a graph structure. This approach was evaluated using a dataset of 640 patients with UPA who underwent unilateral ADX (uADX) between 1990 and 2022. We conducted a comparative analysis using repeated stratified five-fold cross-validation and paired t-tests to evaluate the performance of GAPPA against conventional machine learning methods and previous studies across various metrics.

RESULTS

GAPPA significantly outperformed conventional machine learning methods and previous studies (p < 0.05) across various metrics. It achieved F1-score, accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity of 71.3 % ± 3.1 %, 71.1 % ± 3.4 %, 69.9 % ± 4.3 %, and 72.4 % ± 7.2 %, respectively, with an AUC of 0.775 ± 0.030. We also investigated the impact of different initialization schemes on GAPPA outcome-edge embeddings, highlighting their robustness and stability.

CONCLUSION

GAPPA aids in preoperative prognosis assessment and facilitates patient counseling, contributing to prognostic prediction and advancing the applications of GNNs in the biomedical domain.

Relationship Between Renin, Aldosterone, Aldosterone-to-Renin Ratio and Arterial Stiffness and Left Ventricular Mass Index in Young Adults

BACKGROUND

Primary aldosteronism, characterized by renin-independent aldosterone production, is associated with adverse cardiovascular remodeling and outcomes. Elevated cardiovascular risk is observed even in subclinical forms of primary aldosteronism according to studies conducted primarily in middle-aged and elderly populations. This study aimed to assess whether early changes in primary aldosteronism biomarkers during young adulthood are associated with arterial stiffness and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) before the onset of overt disease.

METHODS

The Raine Study is a longitudinal, population-based cohort study in Western Australia that enrolled women during pregnancy. We analyzed the data from the offspring of these women at 17 (2006-2009) and 27 (2016-2018) years of age. Participants with elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (>10 mg/L) and female participants who were on oral contraception were excluded. Pulse wave velocity and aortic augmentation index were measured by SphygmoCor Pulse Wave System at both ages, and aortic distensibility and LVMI were measured by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging at 27 years. Multivariable linear regression was used to examine the relationship between plasma renin, aldosterone, or aldosterone-to-renin ratio and arterial stiffness and LVMI. Mediation analysis was used to test the role of systolic blood pressure.

RESULTS

This study included 859 participants at 17 (38.0% female) and 758 participants at 27 (33.2% female) years of age. Females had lower renin concentration at both 17 (20.7 mU/L versus 25.7 mU/L; P<0.001) and 27 (12.0 mU/L versus 15.4 mU/L; P<0.001) years of age; hence, the aldosterone-to-renin ratio was significantly higher at both 17 (18.2 versus 13.5; P<0.001) and 27 (21.0 versus 15.6; P<0.001) years of age in females compared with males. At 27 years of age, a significant association was detected between aldosterone and LVMI in males (β=0.009 [95% CI, 0.001-0.017]; P=0.027) and between aldosterone-to-renin ratio and LVMI in females (β=0.098 [95% CI, 0.001-0.196]; P=0.050) independently of systolic blood pressure and other confounders. No association was found between primary aldosteronism biomarkers and measures of arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity, aortic augmentation index, and aortic distensibility) at either age.

CONCLUSIONS

Aldosterone concentration and aldosterone-to-renin ratio were positively associated with the LVMI in young males and females, respectively, independently of systolic blood pressure. Long-term follow-up is required to determine whether the relationship persists over time, and clinical trials are needed to assess the cardiovascular benefits of early interventions to block aldosterone.

Diagnosis of Primary Aldosteronism without Discontinuation of Interfering Antihypertensive Medications

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

One of the challenges in the diagnosis and management of primary aldosteronism (PA), the most common type of secondary hypertension with curative potential, is the modification of antihypertensive medications. We seek to explore whether these medications can be continued during the diagnostic process of PA to minimize the duration and risks associated with medication adjustments.

RECENT FINDINGS

We searched PubMed for eligible original literature between 1990 and 2024 using the following keywords: (screening) AND (primary aldosteronism); (confirmatory) AND (primary aldosteronism); (adrenal vein sampling) AND primary aldosteronism). Some recent studies support the feasibility of PA-related tests and even adrenal vein sampling (AVS) without the need to discontinue antihypertensive medications in certain cases. In this review, we propose a management approach that considers the specific effects of antihypertensive medications on the RAAS axis and the patient's disease phenotype. Based on this, we suggest a strategy that enables the diagnosis of PA in certain patients without discontinuing their antihypertensive medications.

Validating Machine Learning Models Against the Saline Test Gold Standard for Primary Aldosteronism Diagnosis

Background

In this study, we developed and validated machine learning models to predict primary aldosteronism (PA) in hypertensive East-Asian patients, comparing their performance against the traditional saline infusion test. The motivation for this development arises from the need to provide a more efficient and standardized diagnostic approach, because the saline infusion test, although considered a gold standard, is often cumbersome, is time-consuming, and lacks uniform protocols. By offering an alternative diagnostic method, this study seeks to enhance patient care through quicker and potentially more reliable PA detection.

Objectives

This study sought to both develop and evaluate the performance of machine learning models in detecting PA among hypertensive participants, in comparison to the standard saline loading test.

Methods

We used patient data from 3 distinct cohorts: TAIPAI (Taiwan Primary Aldosteronism Investigation), CONPASS (Chongqing Primary Aldosteronism Study), and a South Korean cohort. Random Forest's importance scores, XGBoost, and deep learning techniques are adopted to identify the most predictive features of primary aldosteronism.

Results

We present detailed results of the model's performance, including accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity. The Random Forest model achieved an accuracy of 0.673 (95% CI: 0.640-0.707), significantly outperforming the baseline models.

Conclusions

In our discussion, we address both the strengths and limitations of our study. Although the machine learning models demonstrated superior performance in predicting primary aldosteronism, the generalizability of these findings may be limited to East-Asian hypertensive populations. Future studies are needed to validate these models in diverse demographic settings to enhance their applicability.

Elderly men are underscreened for primary aldosteronism even in Hypertension Excellence Centre

Purpose The Endocrine Society (ES) guidelines recommend screening for primary aldosteronism (PA) in high risk hypertensive patients presenting with at least one of seven criteria (resistant HTN, hypokalaemia, adrenal nodule, etc.) Although guidelines are clear and screening is simple, compliance rates among clinicians are extremely low. This results in underdiagnosis of early disease, leading to cadiovasculaer complications and the extra-burden of advanced chronic kidney disease. We aimed to evaluate the screening rates in our Nephrology and Hypertension clinics, as an example of a dedicated Hypertension Excellence Centre. Materials and methods Data on adult hypertensive patients was retrieved from January 2018 to December 2020. Included in the study were hypertensive patients who had at least one of the ES criteria for PA screening. Of all suitable patients, we compared those who were screened for PA to patients who were not screened. Univariate and multivariate cox regression analyses were used for comparison between groups. Results Of 661 patients with HTN, 218 patients (33%) met the ES guidelines for PA screening. Forty-six of them (21.1%) were referred for screening. Advanced age and male gender were associated with lower screening referral rates. Odds ratio for age was 0.945 for every year (95% CI 0.915 - 0.975). There was a trend towards decreased referral rate in advanced kidney disease. Conclusions A 21% screening rate, suggests that many cases of PA are likely missed, more often in older patients. We therefore advocate for PA screening of all hypertensive patients, especially elderly patients with CKD, in whom clinicians' awareness is low but the absolute risk is high.

A Case of Primary Aldosteronism Masquerading as Bartter and Gitelman Syndromes

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a common cause of secondary hypertension, with familial hyperaldosteronism (FH) contributing to a lesser number of cases. FH type IV, a rare subtype, has hardly been reported as a subtype of PA cases. We present a case of a 27-year-old female who presented to the emergency department with circumoral tingling and numbness. A diagnosis of hypocalcemia due to vitamin D deficiency was made. During hospital stay, she developed acute gastroenteritis and was treated with doxycycline, after which she experienced persistent hypokalemia. Further investigation revealed urinary potassium loss and metabolic alkalosis, although her blood pressure remained normal throughout her stay. Clinical exome sequencing identified a mutated variant in the calcium voltage-gated channel subunit alpha1 H (CACNA1H) gene associated with FH type IV. Elevated plasma aldosterone and suppressed renin confirmed PA. The administration of doxycycline for treating acute gastroenteritis likely precipitated hypokalemia by enhancing the expression of the mutated CACNA1H gene variant, thereby increasing aldosterone production.

Targeted multiplex proteomics for the development and validation of biomarkers in primary aldosteronism subtyping

OBJECTIVE

Primary aldosteronism (PA), a significant cause of secondary hypertension affecting ∼10% of patients with severe hypertension, exacerbates cardiovascular, and cerebrovascular complications even after blood pressure control. PA is categorized into two main subtypes: unilateral aldosterone-producing adenomas (APA) and bilateral hyperaldosteronism (BHA), each requiring distinct treatment approaches. Accurate subtype classification is crucial for selecting the most effective treatment. The goal of this study was to develop novel blood-based proteomic biomarkers to differentiate between APA and BHA subtypes in patients with PA.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Five subtyping differential protein biomarker candidates (APOC3, CD56, CHGA, KRT5, and AZGP1) were identified through targeted proteomic profiling of plasma. The subtyping efficiency of these biomarkers was assessed at both the tissue gene expression and blood protein expression levels. To explore the underlying biology of APA and BHA, significant differential pathways were investigated.

RESULTS

The five-protein panel proved highly effective in distinguishing APA from BHA in both tissue and blood samples. By integrating these five protein biomarkers with aldosterone and renin, our blood-based predictive methods achieved remarkable receiver operating characteristic (ROC) area under the ROC curves of 0.986 (95% CI: 0.963-1.000) for differentiating essential hypertension from PA, and 0.922 (95% CI: 0.846-0.998) for subtyping APA versus BHA. These outcomes surpass the performance of the existing Kobayashi score subtyping system. Furthermore, the study validated differential pathways associated with the pathophysiology of PA, aligning with current scientific knowledge and opening new avenues for advancing PA care.

CONCLUSIONS

The new blood-based biomarkers for PA subtyping hold the potential to significantly enhance clinical utility and advance the practice of PA care.

Performance of Aldosterone-to-renin Ratio Before Washout of Antihypertensive Drugs in Screening of Primary Aldosteronism

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study is to evaluate performance of aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) before washout of antihypertensive drugs as a screening test for primary aldosteronism (PA).

METHODS

This retrospective analysis included consecutive patients screening for secondary hypertension during a period from January 2017 to May 2022 at the authors' institute. For inclusion in the final analysis, ARR had to be available prior to as well as after discontinuation of antihypertensives. Patients with ARR ≥2.4(ng/dL)/(μIU/mL) after washout proceeded to confirmatory tests. Diagnosis of PA was established based on a positive result of the confirmatory test. The diagnostic accuracy of ARR prior to the washout in predicting PA is shown as sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV).

RESULTS

The analysis included a total of 1306 patients [median age of 50.2 (41.0-59.0) years, 64.0% male]. Confirmatory tests showed PA in 215(16.5%) patients and essential hypertension (EH) in the remaining 1091(83.5%) patients. In comparison to the second screening test, the first screening test (before washout of antihypertensives) yielded lower plasma aldosterone and higher renin and consequently lower ARR in both the PA and EH groups. At a cutoff of .7(ng/dL)/(μIU/mL), ARR before washout had 96.3% sensitivity, 61.2% specificity, .33 PPV, and .99 NPV. At a lower cutoff of .5(ng/dL)/(μIU/mL), the sensitivity, specificity, PPV, and NPV were 97.7%, 52.0%, .29, and .99, respectively.

CONCLUSION

ARR prior to washout of antihypertensives is a sensitive screening test for PA. Washout of antihypertensives could be omitted and further investigation for PA is not warranted if ARR is ≤ .7(ng/dL)/(μIU/mL) before washout.

A New Disease Severity Score for Measuring Treatment Response to Adrenalectomy in Patients With Primary Aldosteronism

OBJECTIVE

Cure after adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism has been reported in only 15% to 40% of patients, with no disease severity score available to measure response objectively. Furthermore, the criteria used to define cure are outdated. This study aims to determine the rate of cure based on the current definition of normal blood pressure and develop a disease severity score to measure clinical improvement after adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism.

METHODS

This was a retrospective single-center study that included patients who underwent adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism between 2000 and 2023. Blood pressure, a defined daily dose of antihypertensives, and potassium supplementation were incorporated into a new Primary Aldosteronism Disease Severity Score (PADSS), which was calculated with preoperative and 6-month postoperative parameters.

RESULTS

The study included 201 patients. Adrenalectomy was guided by adrenal venous sampling in 86.1% of patients. The cure rate per the new definition of normal blood pressure was 7.5% (n = 15). The median PADSS was 16.3 (13.6-19.9) preoperatively and decreased to 10 (4.5-13.3) postoperatively. An improvement of the PADSS was observed in 90% (n = 180) of patients at 6 months of adrenalectomy. The median rate of improvement in PADSS was 33.3% (13.8% to 56.6%).

CONCLUSIONS

Although complete cure rates are low after adrenalectomy in primary aldosteronism, especially based on the new definition of normal blood pressure, a clinical improvement is seen in the vast majority of patients postoperatively. The newly introduced PADSS can be used to assess the clinical benefit achieved with adrenalectomy.

Insight into the status of plasma renin and aldosterone measurement: findings from 526 clinical laboratories in China

OBJECTIVES

Accurate measurements of renin and aldosterone levels play an important role in primary aldosteronism screening, which is of great importance in the management and categorization of hypertension. The objective of this study is to investigate the current status of plasma renin and aldosterone measurements in China, which is achieved by analyzing the results of 526 clinical laboratories nationwide for three pooled fresh plasma samples derived from more than 2,000 patients.

METHODS

Renin and aldosterone in three pooled plasma samples were measured four times in 526 laboratories employing various measurement systems. The inter- and intra-laboratory %CV were calculated and compared. To determine the source of the substantial inter-laboratory %CV, laboratories were categorized according to the measurement systems they are using, and both the inter- and intra-measurement-system %CV were calculated and compared.

RESULTS

Regarding renin, the majority of laboratories use four primary commercial immunoassays. However, for aldosterone, in addition to commercial immunoassays, laboratory-developed liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS) methods are also used by laboratories. The median values of intra-laboratory %CVs, intra-measurement-system %CVs, inter-laboratory %CVs, and inter-measurement systems %CVs varied between 1.6 and 2.6 %, 4.6 and 14.9 %, 8.3 and 25.7 %, and 10.0 and 34.4 % for renin, respectively. For aldosterone, these values ranged from 1.4 to 2.2 %, 2.5-14.7 %, 9.9-31.0 %, and 10.0-35.5 %, respectively.

CONCLUSIONS

The precision within laboratories and measurement systems for plasma renin and aldosterone measurements is satisfactory. However, the comparability between laboratories using different measurement systems remains lacking, indicating the long way to achieve standardization and harmonization for these two analytes.

Ablation and laparoscopic adrenalectomy: Balancing efficacy and safety in the treatment of benign adrenal gland tumors: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background

Aldosterone-producing adenomas cause hypertension in 5-10 % of cases. Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is the gold standard treatment for early-stage adrenal gland tumors, but minimally invasive procedures, such as ablative techniques can also be applied. Therefore, we aimed to compare laparoscopic adrenalectomy and ablation techniques in terms of efficacy and safety in the treatment of benign adrenal gland tumors.

Materials and methods

We conducted a systematic search in five databases and included studies comparing the efficacy and safety of ablation techniques and laparoscopic adrenalectomy. We calculated odds ratios (ORs) for eligible studies with binary outcomes, and mean differences (MD) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI) for continuous outcomes.

Results

Five studies focusing on aldosterone-producing adenomas were included in our review. A total of 119 patients at 14 centers underwent ablation, and 161 patients had laparoscopic adrenalectomy. The complication rates (OR: 0.98, CI: 0.35-2.69) were similar in both groups, but among complications, hypertensive crisis (OR: 8.13; CI: 1.14-58.11) was more frequent in the ablative group, and even the success rate of interventions - the resolution of hypertension (OR: 0.30, CI: 0.16-0.56) - was lower in this group. On the other hand, the advantage of ablation was shorter intervention time (MD: 75.64 min; CI: 6.33-144.95), shorter hospital stay (MD: 1.6 days; CI: 0.88-2.31), and less perioperative blood loss (MD: 43.55 ml; CI: 12.07-75.04) compared to laparoscopy.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy is still the best therapeutic approach, but ablation can be an appropriate alternative option for the treatment of aldosterone-producing adrenal gland tumors.

Severe hydronephrosis complicated with primary aldosteronism: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Primary aldosteronism is characterized by high plasma aldosterone and low renin. The plasma aldosterone-to-renin ratio is recommended for screening. Severe hydronephrosis leads to renal parenchymal ischemia, resulting in increased renin secretion. Since nonsuppression of renin may cause a negative result in the aldosterone-to-renin ratio test, severe hydronephrosis and primary aldosteronism occurring simultaneously in a patient are challenging to diagnose.

CASE PRESENTATION

A 54-year-old Chinese man of Han ethnicity was diagnosed with hypertension and severe hypokalemia (minimum 1.57 mmol/L) 13 years prior, and was also diagnosed with severe hydronephrosis due to congenital ureteral stenosis on the left side. His clinical features suggested primary aldosteronism, but the aldosterone-to-renin ratio result of the patient was negative every time he underwent the primary aldosteronism screening test. No further treatment for primary aldosteronism was performed, which led the patient to suffer from severe hypokalemia, such that he was taking 12-15 g/day potassium chloride orally to keep his blood potassium between 3.0 and 3.5 mmol/L (reference value, 3.5-5.5 mmol/L) for 13 years, and the patient needed to be hospitalized in the intensive care unit for rescue several times. At admission, although the aldosterone-to-renin ratio result of the patient was negative, we still did the saline stress test and captopril inhibition test, and the results showed that the plasma aldosterone level was not lower after the test than before the test. Adrenal enhanced computed tomography suggested an adenoma in the left adrenal gland, and the results of adrenal vein sampling suggested that the left side was the dominant side. Therefore, laparoscopic total resection of the left adrenal gland was performed, and 2 weeks later, the patient developed short-term renal function impairment and hyperkalemia, but his renal function and blood potassium returned to normal after treatment that included fluid rehydration. The patient's biochemical test results and clinical symptoms were completely normal after 1 year.

CONCLUSION

We suggest that for patients with a high suspicion of primary aldosteronism in the clinic, comprehensive analysis must be performed in combination with clinical characteristic assessments, such as severe hydronephrosis, if renin is within the normal range or if the aldosterone-to-renin ratio result is negative at screening and diagnostic tests, and adrenal vein sampling should be performed if necessary. It can help avoid misdiagnoses and contribute to the treatment of patients with severe hydronephrosis and primary aldosteronism.

Rationality and implication of catheter-based adrenal ablation for bilateral primary aldosteronism

Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs) for bilateral primary aldosteronism (PA) are the mainstay option recommended by guidelines, but poor compliance occurs due to numerous side effects. We aimed to examine whether catheter-based adrenal ablation could be an alternative treatment for bilateral PA.644 PA patients were included from a total of 6054 hypertensive patients. Adrenal CT scan and adrenal venous sampling (AVS) were both performed for PA subtype classification. Clinical and biochemical outcomes were assessed at 6 months after treatment according to the Primary Aldosteronism Surgical Outcome (PASO) criteria.93 patients with PA were recruited to be treated by adrenal ablation, including 25 bilateral PA and 68 unilateral PA according to AVS results. Office SBP and DBP significantly decreased from baseline levels, serum potassium levels increased and ARR significantly decreased (p < 0.01) in both the bilateral and unilateral groups. In the bilateral group, complete, partial and absent clinical success was achieved in 6 (24.0%), 11 (44.0%) and 8(32.0%) patients, respectively. In the unilateral group, complete, partial and absent clinical success was achieved in 12 (17.6%), 37 (54.4%), and 19 (27.9%) patients, respectively. The numbers of patients achieving complete, partial, and absent biochemical success were 15 (60.0%), 6 (24.0%), and 4 (16.0%), respectively, in the bilateral group versus 37 (54.4%), 9 (13.2%), and 22 (32.3%), respectively, in the unilateral group. In conclusion, we provide evidence for the beneficial outcomes of unilateral adrenal ablation for patients with bilateral PA. Our findings provide insight into an alternative option for patients with bilateral excess aldosterone.

Alterations in DNA 5-hydroxymethylation patterns in the hippocampus of an experimental model of chronic epilepsy

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a type of focal epilepsy characterized by spontaneous recurrent seizures originating from the hippocampus. The epigenetic reprogramming hypothesis of epileptogenesis suggests that the development of TLE is associated with alterations in gene transcription changes resulting in a hyperexcitable network in TLE. DNA 5-methylcytosine (5-mC) is an epigenetic mechanism that has been associated with chronic epilepsy. However, the contribution of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine (5-hmC), a product of 5-mC demethylation by the Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET) family proteins in chronic TLE is poorly understood. 5-hmC is abundant in the brain and acts as a stable epigenetic mark altering gene expression through several mechanisms. Here, we found that the levels of bulk DNA 5-hmC but not 5-mC were significantly reduced in the hippocampus of human TLE patients and in the kainic acid (KA) TLE rat model. Using 5-hmC hMeDIP-sequencing, we characterized 5-hmC distribution across the genome and found bidirectional regulation of 5-hmC at intergenic regions within gene bodies. We found that hypohydroxymethylated 5-hmC intergenic regions were associated with several epilepsy-related genes, including Gal, SV2, and Kcnj11 and hyperdroxymethylation 5-hmC intergenic regions were associated with Gad65, TLR4, and Bdnf gene expression. Mechanistically, Tet1 knockdown in the hippocampus was sufficient to decrease 5-hmC levels and increase seizure susceptibility following KA administration. In contrast, Tet1 overexpression in the hippocampus resulted in increased 5-hmC levels associated with improved seizure resiliency in response to KA. These findings suggest an important role for 5-hmC as an epigenetic regulator of epilepsy that can be manipulated to influence seizure outcomes.

Clinical Review: The Approach to the Evaluation and Management of Bilateral Adrenal Masses

OBJECTIVE

This white paper provides practical guidance for clinicians encountering bilateral adrenal masses.

METHODS

A case-based approach to the evaluation and management of bilateral adrenal masses. Specific clinical scenarios presented here include cases of bilateral adrenal adenomas, hemorrhage, pheochromocytomas, metastatic disease, myelolipomas, as well as primary bilateral macronodular adrenal hyperplasia.

RESULTS

Bilateral adrenal masses represent approximately 10% to 20% of incidentally discovered adrenal masses. The general approach to the evaluation and management of bilateral adrenal masses follows the same protocol as the evaluation of unilateral adrenal masses, determined based on the patient's clinical history and examination as well as the imaging characteristics of each lesion, whether the lesions could represent a malignancy, demonstrate hormone excess, or possibly represent a familial syndrome. Furthermore, there are features unique to bilateral adrenal masses that must be considered, including the differential diagnosis, the evaluation, and the management depending on the etiology. Therefore, considerations for the optimal imaging modality, treatment (medical vs surgical therapy), and surveillance are included. These recommendations were developed through careful examination of existing published studies as well as expert clinical opinion consensus.

CONCLUSION

The evaluation and management of bilateral adrenal masses require a comprehensive systematic approach which includes the assessment and interpretation of the patient's clinical history, physical examination, dynamic hormone evaluation, and imaging modalities to determine the key radiographic features of each adrenal nodule. In addition, familial syndromes should be considered. Any final treatment options and approaches should always be considered individually.

Executive summary of the Spanish consensus for the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of primary hyperaldosteronism

Primary hyperaldosteronism (PH) is the most common cause of secondary hypertension (HTN) and is associated with a higher cardiometabolic risk than essential HTN. Nevertheless, PH remains clearly underdiagnosed. An early diagnosis and adequate treatment of this disease are essential to reduce the cardiometabolic morbimortality associated with aldosterone excess. PH follow-up is equally essential; however, there is little consensus on how it should be performed, being a topic rarely mentioned by the different clinical practice guidelines. The aim of this executive summary is to summarize the recommendations made in the Spanish consensus of PH for the diagnosis, management, and follow-up of these patients. The Spanish consensus was reached from a multidisciplinary perspective through a nominal group consensus approach by experts from the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN), the Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC), the Spanish Society of Nephrology (SEN), the Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI), the Spanish Society of Radiology (SERAM), the Spanish Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (SERVEI), the Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQC(ML)), the Spanish Society of Anatomic-Pathology (EAP), and the Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC).

Screening and treatment of endocrine hypertension focusing on adrenal gland disorders: a narrative review

Most cases of high blood pressure have no identifiable cause, termed essential hypertension; however, in approximately 15% of cases, hypertension occurs due to secondary causes. Primary aldosteronism (PA) and pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) are representative endocrine hypertensive diseases. The differentiation of endocrine hypertension provides an opportunity to cure and prevent target organ damage. PA is the most common cause of secondary hypertension, which significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease compared to essential hypertension; thus, patients with clinical manifestations suggestive of secondary hypertension should be screened for PA. PPGL are rare but can be fatal when misdiagnosed. PPGL are the most common hereditary endocrine tumors; therefore, genetic testing using next-generation sequencing panels is recommended. Herein, we aimed to summarize the characteristic clinical symptoms of PA and PPGL and when and how diagnostic tests and treatment strategies should be performed.

[131I]6ß-Iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol SPECT/CT for the Lateralization of Mineralocorticoid Overproduction in Primary Aldosteronism

Primary: aldosteronism is a frequent cause of secondary hypertension. With access to specialized care, an increasing number of patients with aldosteronism are being identified. Primary aldosteronism is treatable by adrenal surgery if aldosterone excess originates from one of the two, and not from both, adrenals. Bilateral hyperplasia requires lifelong mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist treatment. Up till now, adrenal venous sampling (AVS) has been widely used to distinguish between one-sided and two-sided aldosterone overproduction and patient selection for surgery. AVS is an invasive technique, and the unsuccessful sampling of the right adrenal vein during AVS often prevents side comparison, making the AVS procedure useless. Molecular imaging using [131I]6ß-iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol with SPECT CT imaging (SPECT/CT) may be a potential alternative.

METHODS

In 42 consecutive patients with confirmed primary aldosteronism, molecular imaging has been performed. After dexamethasone suppression of the non-affected adrenal tissue, 37 MBq [131I]6ß-iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol was injected i.v., and SPECT/CT images were taken 7 days later. Based on the visual evaluation of the images by two nuclear medicine specialists, patients with one-sided tracer accumulation underwent adrenalectomy. To identify a SPECT/CT parameter that best characterizes the side difference, the maximum counts and the mean counts of spherical VOIs were analyzed.

RESULTS

Of the 42 patients, 24 had one-sided aldosterone overproduction by SPECT/CT. After surgical removal of the involved adrenal, all 24 patients with SPECT/CT-identified unilateral aldosteronism achieved biochemical cure, defined as a normalized potassium level combined with an aldosterone-to-renin ratio ≤ 30. To identify the best measurable parameter of SPECT/CT side difference, the mean counts and maximum counts of a series of spherical VOIs of different diameters were analyzed. The ratio of the mean counts of 3 cm spherical VOIs of the right and left adrenal regions (lateralization index) was the best discriminator; a ratio of ≥1.29 was characteristic of one-sided disease, without overlap between the one-sided and two-sided patient groups.

CONCLUSIONS

[131I]6ß-iodomethyl-19-norcholesterol SPECT/CT with a count-based image interpretation and side-ratio calculation may be an equipollent non-invasive substitute for adrenal venous sampling in the lateralization of mineralocorticoid overproduction. It reliably identifies unilateral disease and facilitates patients' selection for surgical intervention. If confirmed by others, this functional imaging may replace AVS when lateralization is required for management decisions in primary aldosteronism.

Hip fractures in patients with primary aldosteronism - a Swedish nationwide study

In this large population-based matched cohort study, patients with primary aldosteronism were at increased risk of hip fracture, particularly subgroups traditionally considered at higher risk of osteoporosis such as women, patients older than 56 years at diagnosis, patients with established cardiovascular disease at diagnosis, and patients treated with MRA.

PURPOSE

Previous studies suggest that primary aldosteronism (PA) is associated with dysregulated bone homeostasis. The aim of this study was to evaluate the incidence of hip fractures in patients with PA.

METHODS

We studied a nationwide cohort of 2419 patients with PA (1997-2019) and 24 187 age and sex matched controls from the general population. Hip fractures were identified by ICD codes in the Swedish National Patient Register. We estimated hazard ratios (HRs) for incident hip fractures, adjusted for prior fractures, socioeconomic factors, diabetes, osteoporosis, hyperparathyroidism, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Pairwise subgroup comparisons were performed by age (18-56 and > 56 years), sex, CVD at baseline, and treatment for PA.

RESULTS

During a mean follow up of 8 ± 5 years, 64 (2.6%) patients had a hip fracture after being diagnosed with PA, compared to 401 (1.7%) controls. After adjustments, PA was associated with a 55% increased risk of hip fracture compared to controls (HR 1.55 [1.18-2.03]). HRs were increased in women (HR 1.76 [95% CI 1.24-2.52]), patients aged > 56 years (HR 1.62 [95% CI 1.21-2.17]), and patients with CVD at diagnosis (HR 2.15 [95% CI 1.37-3.37]). PA patients treated with adrenalectomy did not have higher risk than controls (HR 0.84 [95% CI 0.35-2.0]), while patients treated with mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) retained a greater risk (HR 1.84 [95% CI 1.20-2.83]).

CONCLUSION

PA is associated with increased hip fracture risk, especially in women, patients diagnosed after the age of 56 years and patients with established CVD at diagnosis. Also, patients treated with MRA seem to have an increased risk of hip fractures, while adrenalectomy may be protective.

Efficacy and safety of radiofrequency ablation and laparoscopic adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism: a meta‑analysis

OBJECTIVE

To compare the efficacy (including blood pressure, medication reduction, serum potassium, and clinical success) and safety parameters (including operative time, length of hospital stay, blood loss, hypertension crisis rate, and complication rate) of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and laparoscopic adrenalectomy (LA) in the treatment of primary aldosteronism (PA).

METHODS

Literature search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, The Cochrane Library (Issue 8, 2023), Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, and Wanfang from inception to August 2023. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment were performed by two independent reviewers. Quality assessment was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa scale. The Stata 12.0 software was used for statistical analyses. Pooled odds ratios (OR) with corresponding 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated for categorical outcomes, while mean difference (MD) with corresponding 95% CI were calculated for continuous outcomes.

RESULTS

A total of 5 studies involving 204 patients (LA, n = 127; and RAF, n = 77) were included. LA had better diastolic blood pressure control than RFA (WMD = 5.19; 95% CI 0.96-9.43); however, the RFA demonstrated better shorter operative time (WMD = - 57.99; 95% CI - 116.54 to 0.57), and shorter length of hospital stay (OR - 1.6; 95% CI - 2.37 to - 0.83) compared to LA. All remaining parameters were comparable between the interventions.

CONCLUSION

While grossly comparable in efficacy as treatment options for PA, RFA may allow for shorter operative time and hospital stay, less intraoperative blood loss, and lower hospitalization costs. However, LA has better diastolic blood pressure control. Even so, we still need larger prospective studies, specifically with comparative hypertension response (short and long term) and number of post-procedural antihypertensive medication requirement.

Safety and efficacy of bilateral superselective adrenal arterial embolization for treatment of idiopathic hyperaldosteronism: a prospective single-center study

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of bilateral superselective adrenal arterial embolization (SAAE) in patients with bilateral idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA), a subtype of PA.

METHODS

Ninety-eight patients with bilateral IHA underwent bilateral SAAE between August 2022 and August 2023. Sixty-eight patients were followed up for up to 12 months. The study outcomes were evaluated using the criteria provided by the Primary Aldosteronism Surgical Outcome (PASO) guidelines.

RESULTS

The mean reductions in systolic and diastolic blood pressure were 27.4 ± 21.3 mmHg and 23.1 ± 17.4 mmHg, respectively (p < 0.001). The rates of clinical success and biochemical success after adrenal artery ablation were 63.2% (43/68) and 39.7% (27/68), respectively. Overall, there were significant reductions in daily defined doses (DDD), aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR), and plasma aldosterone levels (p < 0.001). Plasma renin levels increased by a mean value of 10.4 ± 39.0 pg/mL (p = 0.049), and potassium levels increased by 0.40 ± 0.63 mmol/L (p < 0.001). No significant adverse events were reported during SAAE or the follow-up period of up to one year. Additionally, no abnormalities were detected by adrenal 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT scans before or after SAAE.

CONCLUSION

Bilateral SAAE appears to lead to sustained improvements in blood pressure and biochemical parameters in patients with bilateral PA, with minimal adverse effects. This suggests that bilateral SAAE could serve as an effective alternative approach for treating bilateral IHA, potentially curing this condition.

Primary aldosteronism with hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis: a case report and review of the literature

BACKGROUND

Hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis is a rare clinical manifestation of primary aldosteronism, making its diagnosis challenging, particularly when it becomes the primary presenting symptom. Herein, we present a case of primary aldosteronism with hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis and conduct a related literature review.

CASE PRESENTATION

We report the case of a 54-year-old Chinese male patient who presented with intermittent weakness over the past year and was admitted with sudden limb paralysis for 2 days. The final diagnosis was primary aldosteronism accompanied by hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis syndrome. By reviewing the related Chinese and English literature, we noticed that only a few cases were published since 1978. After excluding irrelevant literatures, we summarized and analyzed 43 patients of with primary aldosteronism accompanied by hypokalemic rhabdomyolysis syndrome. All patients showed good recovery, with normalized blood potassium levels, and a majority achieved normalized blood pressure. Some patients still required medication for blood pressure control.

CONCLUSIONS

Primary aldosteronism rarely causes rhabdomyolysis; the occurrence of severe hypokalemia and rhabdomyolysis should prompt consideration of primary aldosteronism in the differential diagnosis. Early detection and treatment are crucial for determining patient prognosis.

Diagnostic Accuracy of Aldosterone and Renin Measurement by Chemiluminescence for Screening of Patients with Primary Aldosteronism

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of endocrine arterial hypertension, and the suggested screening test for case detection is the aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) or aldosterone-to-direct renin ratio (ADRR) based on radio-immunoassay (RIA) and chemiluminescence assay (CLIA), respectively. The objective of our study was to evaluate the reliability of CLIA for aldosterone and renin measurement and the diagnostic performance of ADRR. A prospective cohort of 1110 patients referred to a single laboratory medicine center underwent measurement of aldosterone and direct renin concentration (DRC) by CLIA and measurement of aldosterone and plasma renin activity (PRA) by RIA. Of 1110 patients, 640 obtained a final diagnosis of hypertension, and 90 of these patients were diagnosed with PA. Overall, between-method correlation was highly significant for aldosterone concentrations (R = 0.945, p < 0.001) and less strong but significant for DRC/PRA (R = 0.422, p < 0.001). Among hypertensive patients, in PA cases, the areas under the receiver operator characteristics (ROC) curves were 0.928 (95% confidence interval 0.904-0.954) for ADRR and 0.943 (95% confidence interval 0.920-0.966) for ARR and were comparable and not significantly different. The highest accuracy was obtained with an ADRR cut-off of 25 (ng/L)/(mIU/L), displaying a sensitivity of 91% and a specificity of 85%. The chemiluminescence assay for aldosterone and DRC is a reliable method for PA diagnosis compared to the classical RIA method.

Evaluation of adrenal vein anatomy by adrenal venous sampling in patients with primary aldosteronism in Chinese

Accurate cannulation of the adrenal vein is challenging during adrenal venous sampling (AVS) because of the variations in adrenal vein anatomy. This study aimed to investigate the adrenal venous morphology in Chinese and improve the success rate of AVS. A total of 221 participants with primary aldosteronism (PA) who underwent AVS were enrolled. Compare the morphology among subgroups divided according to sex, body mass index (BMI), and with or without adenoma. The success rate of right, left, and bilateral AVS was 98.60%, 97.20%, and 96.85%, respectively. The triangular pattern was the most common (39.37%) on the right side, while the glandlike pattern (70.14%) on the left. The proportion of adrenal venous morphology varies among patients with different sexes (χ2 = 21.335, P < .001), BMI (χ2 = 10.642 P = .031), and with or without adenoma (χ2 = 10.637, P = .031) on the right side, and the male, obese and adenoma group showed a higher proportion of glandlike pattern than triangular pattern. If only dependent on computed tomography, 9.05% of patients incorrectly diagnose the dominant side, 14.48% of patients would have inappropriate surgery meanwhile 25.34% of patients would miss the surgical opportunity. In conclusion, the most common types of right and left adrenal venous morphology were triangular pattern and glandlike pattern, respectively. Sex, BMI, and the presence of adenoma affected right adrenal venous morphology. Adequate knowledge of the adrenal venous morphology is critical for improving the success rate of AVS and making an appropriate treatment for PA.

Clinical value of 68Ga-pentixafor PET/CT in patients with primary aldosteronism and bilateral lesions: preliminary results of a single-centre study

BACKGROUND

Subtype diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA) is used to determine treatment, and the potential utility of 68Ga-pentixafor PET/CT for investigation of PA has long been recognized. The study aimed to evaluate the clinical value of 68Ga-pentixafor PET/CT in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with bilateral lesions identified by CT.

METHODS

In total, 25 patients with PA and bilateral lesions on CT were retrospectively evaluated. All patients underwent 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT and adrenal vein sampling. The analysis focused on establishing the relationship between bilateral adrenal lesions SUVmax and the ratio of bilateral adrenal lesions SUVmax (CON) and clinical diagnosis, treatment outcomes, and KCNJ5 gene status.

RESULTS

The concordance rate between 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT and adrenal venous sampling was 65.2% (15/23). The lateralization results of 68Ga-pentixafor PET/CT supported the clinical decisions of 20 patients with PA, 90% of whom showed effectiveness in treatment. The SUVmax on the dominant side of the surgically treated patients was higher than that of patients treated with drugs. The SUVmax of the KCNJ5 mutant group was higher than that of the KCNJ5 wild group, and 68Ga-Pentixafor uptake was correlated with KCNJ5 gene status.

CONCLUSIONS

68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT proves beneficial for patients with PA with bilateral lesions on CT. The treatment is generally effective based on the results of PET lateralization. Simultaneously, a certain relationship exists between 68Ga-Pentixafor PET/CT and KCNJ5 gene status, warranting further analysis.

Selective venous sampling for secondary hypertension

Selective venous sampling (SVS), an invasive radiographic procedure that depends on contrast media, holds a unique role in diagnosing and guiding the treatment of certain types of secondary hypertension, particularly in patients who may be candidates for curative surgery. The adrenal venous sampling (AVS), in particular, is established as the gold standard for localizing and subtyping primary aldosteronism (PA). Throughout decades of clinical practice, AVS could be applied not only to PA but also to other endocrine diseases, such as adrenal Cushing syndrome (ACS) and Pheochromocytomas (PCCs). Notably, the application of AVS in ACS and PCCs remains less recognized compared to PA, with the low success rate of catheterization, the controversy of results interpretation, and the absence of a standardized protocol. Additionally, the AVS procedure necessitates enhancements to boost its success rate, with several helpful but imperfect methods emerging, yet continued exploration remains essential. We also observed renal venous sampling (RVS), an operation akin to AVS in principle, serves as an effective means of diagnosing renin-dependent hypertension, aiding in the identification of precise sources of renin excess and helping the selection of surgical candidates with renin angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) abnormal activation. Nonetheless, further basic and clinical research is needed. Selective venous sampling (SVS) can be used in identifying cases of secondary hypertension that are curable by surgical intervention. Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) and aldosterone measurement for classificatory diagnosis of primary aldosteronism (PA) are established worldwide. While its primary application is for PA, AVS also holds the potential for diagnosing other endocrine disorders, including adrenal Cushing's syndrome (ACS) and pheochromocytomas (PCCs) through the measurements of cortisol and catecholamine respectively. In addition, renal venous sampling and renin measurement can help to diagnose renovascular hypertension and reninoma.

Effects of different treatment modalities on cardiovascular disease in ARR-positive hypertensive patients

Data on the prognosis of clinically undiagnosed hypertensive patients who are aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) positive are still scarce. Therefore, we investigated the clinical characteristics of clinically undiagnosed hypertensive patients who were ARR-positive and the influence of their different treatments on the occurrence and development of complications. A total of 285 hypertensive patients data with ARR ≥ 3.8 in the Second People's Hospital of Huai'an from January 2019 to December 2021 were collected, and 135 undiagnosed hypertensive patients were ultimately included in the analysis. According to their treatment strategy in various clinical departments, 135 patients were divided into the operation, spironolactone and control groups. Then, the clinical characteristics and the occurrence and development of complications in the three groups were compared. The results suggested that: (1) Only 34 (11.9%) of 285 hypertensive patients with ARR ≥ 3.8 were clearly diagnosed with Primary aldosteronism (PA) through functional tests, and the blood pressure (BP) compliance rate was only 50.30% during follow-up. (2) Based on exclusion criteria, 135 undiagnosed hypertensive patients were eventually included in the analysis. Patients in the surgery group had lower blood potassium levels and higher aldosterone levels than those in the other two groups, and their risk of new cerebrovascular complications was lower than that of the patients in the spironolactone group. (3) The risk of new cerebrovascular complications in the spironolactone group was 9.520 times higher than that of the control group, and this risk mainly occurred in patients with ARR values of 3.8-5.7. On the whole, surgery remains a good option for hypertensive patients with severe hyperaldosteronism and hypokalemia and those unable to undergo confirmatory tests; however, spironolactone therapy in patients with clinically undiagnosed hypertension, especially those with 3.8 ≤ ARR < 5.7, confered a higher risk of new cerebrovascular complications.

Screening and diagnosis of primary aldosteronism. Consensus document of all the Spanish Societies involved in the management of primary aldosteronism

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most frequent cause of secondary hypertension (HT), and is associated with a higher cardiometabolic risk than essential HT. However, PA remains underdiagnosed, probably due to several difficulties clinicians usually find in performing its diagnosis and subtype classification. The aim of this consensus is to provide practical recommendations focused on the prevalence and the diagnosis of PA and the clinical implications of aldosterone excess, from a multidisciplinary perspective, in a nominal group consensus approach by experts from the Spanish Society of Endocrinology and Nutrition (SEEN), Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC), Spanish Society of Nephrology (SEN), Spanish Society of Internal Medicine (SEMI), Spanish Radiology Society (SERAM), Spanish Society of Vascular and Interventional Radiology (SERVEI), Spanish Society of Laboratory Medicine (SEQC(ML)), Spanish Society of Anatomic-Pathology, Spanish Association of Surgeons (AEC).

Volume overload is a major characteristic in primary aldosteronism: a 3-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

We examined haemodynamics, focusing on volume balance and forward and backward wave amplitudes, before and after 2.8 years of targeted treatment of primary aldosteronism. Patients with essential hypertension and normotensive individuals were examined for comparison ( n  = 40 in each group).

METHODS

Recordings were performed using radial artery pulse wave analysis and whole-body impedance cardiography. Unilateral aldosteronism was treated with adrenalectomy ( n  = 20), bilateral aldosteronism with spironolactone-based medication ( n  = 20), and essential hypertension with standard antihypertensive agents.

RESULTS

Aortic SBP and DBP, forward and backward wave amplitudes, and systemic vascular resistance were equally elevated in primary aldosteronism and essential hypertension. All these haemodynamic variables were similarly reduced by the treatments. Primary aldosteronism presented with 1 litre (∼10%) extracellular water excess ( P  < 0.001) versus the other groups, and this excess was normalized by treatment. Initial pulse wave velocity (PWV) was similarly increased in primary aldosteronism and essential hypertension, but final values remained higher in primary aldosteronism ( P  < 0.001). In regression analyses, significant explanatory factors for treatment-induced forward wave amplitude reduction were decreased systemic vascular resistance ( β  = 0.380) and reduced extracellular water volume ( β  = 0.183). Explanatory factors for backward wave amplitude reduction were changes in forward wave amplitude ( β  = 0.599), heart rate ( β  = -0.427), and PWV ( β  = 0.252).

CONCLUSION

Compared with essential hypertension, the principal haemodynamic difference in primary aldosteronism was higher volume load. Volume excess elevated forward wave amplitude, which was subsequently reduced by targeted treatment of primary aldosteronism, along with normalization of volume load. We propose that incorporating extracellular water evaluation alongside routine diagnostics could enhance the identification and diagnosis of primary aldosteronism.

Safety and efficacy of once-daily dexfadrostat phosphate in patients with primary aldosteronism: a randomised, parallel group, multicentre, phase 2 trial

Background

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is caused by autonomous aldosterone overproduction and characterised by uncontrolled hypertension. There are currently no treatments that target aldosterone synthesis. We evaluated the safety and efficacy of a novel aldosterone synthase inhibitor, dexfadrostat phosphate, in patients with PA.

Methods

This multi-centre, randomised, phase 2 trial was conducted between November 2019 and May 2022 (NCT04007406; EudraCT code 2019-000919-85). Adults with PA and an office systolic blood pressure of 145-190 mmHg were included. After a 2-week single-blind placebo run-in period, participants were randomised 1:1:1 to receive oral dexfadrostat phosphate 4, 8, or 12 mg once daily for an 8-week double-blind treatment period, followed by a 2-week single-blind placebo withdrawal period. Randomisation was conducted centrally and stratified by centre and sex. At the beginning and end of the treatment period, 24 h ambulatory systolic blood pressure (aSBP) was recorded. Blood samples were taken every 2 weeks. Primary endpoints were the change in aldosterone-to-renin ratio (ARR) and mean 24 h aSBP from baseline to the end of the treatment period in the combined dose group of all participants receiving any dose of dexfadrostat phosphate. Safety endpoints were the occurrence of treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) and serious adverse events over the entire study in all randomised participants who received at least one dose of dexfadrostat phosphate.

Findings

In total, 35 participants received dexfadrostat phosphate and all participants completed the study. Twenty-six participants (74.3%) were male, the mean age was 51.9 years (SD 8.7), and most were White (n = 32, 91.4%). The median ARR and the mean 24 h aSBP significantly decreased from the beginning to the end of the treatment period in the combined dose group (ARR: 15.3 vs 0.6, least-squares mean [LSM] change in log-normal values -2.5, p < 0.0001; aSBP: 142.6 vs 131.9 mmHg, LSM change -10.7 mmHg, p < 0.0001). There were no safety concerns; all TEAEs were mild or moderate and there were no serious TEAEs.

Interpretation

Dexfadrostat phosphate corrected the ARR and aSBP and was well tolerated in patients with PA, demonstrating the benefit of pharmacologically targeting the source of hyperaldosteronism.

Funding

DAMIAN Pharma AG.

Screening Cutoff Values for the Detection of Aldosterone-Producing Adenoma by LC-MS/MS and a Novel Noncompetitive CLEIA

Context

Detecting patients with surgically curable aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) among hypertensive individuals is clinically pivotal. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) is the ideal method of measuring plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) because of the inaccuracy of conventional chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay (CLEIA). However, LC-MS/MS is expensive and requires expertise. We have developed a novel noncompetitive CLEIA (NC-CLEIA) for measuring PAC in 30 minutes.

Objective

This work aimed to validate NC-CLEIA PAC measurements by comparing them with LC-MS/MS measurements and determining screening cutoffs for both measurements detecting APA.

Methods

We retrospectively measured PAC using LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA in 133 patients with APA, 100 with bilateral hyperaldosteronism, and 111 with essential hypertension to explore the accuracy of NC-CLEIA PAC measurements by comparing with LC-MS/MS measurements and determined the cutoffs for detecting APA.

Results

Passing-Bablok analysis revealed that the values by NC-CLEIA (the regression slope, intercept, and correlation coefficient were 0.962, -0.043, and 0.994, respectively) were significantly correlated and equivalent to those by LC-MS/MS. Bland-Altman plot analysis of NC-CLEIA and LC-MS/MS also demonstrated smaller systemic errors (a bias of -0.348 ng/dL with limits of agreement of -4.390 and 3.694 within a 95% CI) in NC-CLEIA than LC-MS/MS. The receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated that cutoff values for aldosterone/renin activity ratio obtained by LC-MS/MS and NC-CLEIA were 31.2 and 31.5 (ng/dL per ng/mL/hour), with a sensitivity of 91.0% and 90.2% and specificity of 75.4% and 76.8%, respectively, to differentiate APA from non-APA.

Conclusion

This newly developed NC-CLEIA for measuring PAC could serve as a clinically reliable alternative to LC-MS/MS.

Unawareness of Primary Aldosteronism as a Common Cause of Hypokalemia - Insights from the IPAHK+ Trial (Incidence of Primary Aldosteronism in Patients with Hypokalemia)

Hypokalemia plays an important role in the diagnosis and management of primary aldosteronism (PA). While the hypokalemic variant of the disease accounts for about one third of all cases, little is known about the incidence of PA in hypokalemic populations. The IPAHK+ study is an epidemiological, cross-sectional trial to provide evidence on the incidence of PA in hypokalemic patients from a university hospital outpatient population. Recruitment of outpatients with hypokalemia≤3 mmol/l is carried out on a continuous referral-basis through an automated data delivery system. Up to an interim data closure, 66 patients underwent the study protocol. The mean age of the participants was 52.9±1.5 years with an equal sex ratio of 1:1 women to men, a mean potassium value of 2.78±0.31 mmol/l [1.8;3.0] and a prevalence of arterial hypertension of 72.7%. PA was diagnosed in 46.6% of all participants, all of whom had a history of hypertension. Incidence of PA increased continuously with decreasing potassium levels with proportions of 26.7%, 50% and 57.1% in the subgroups of 3.0 mmol/l (n=15), 2.8-2.9 mmol/l (n=22) and≤2.7 mmol/l (n=21), respectively. Prior to testing, 59.1% of all patients presented at least with one plausible other cause of hypokalemia. The incidence of PA in the investigated outpatient population was more than 4 out of 10 and inversely correlated with baseline potassium levels. Moderate or severe hypokalemia, regardless of its cause, should therefore prompt evaluation for PA in hypertensive individuals. Normotensive hypokalemic PA was not observed in this cohort.

Imaging Concordance With Vein Sampling for Primary Aldosteronism: A Cohort Study and Literature Review

INTRODUCTION

Adrenal venous sampling (AVS) is used to distinguish unilateral from bilateral aldosterone hypersecretion as a cause of primary aldosteronism (PA). Unilateral disease is treated with adrenalectomy and bilateral hypersecretion managed medically.

METHODS

We performed a single institution retrospective cohort study of adult patients undergoing adrenalectomy for PA from July 2013 to June 2022. Concordance of imaging findings with AVS was evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed with Mann-Whitney U and chi-squared Fisher's exact. Literature review performed via triple method search strategy.

RESULTS

Twenty-one patients underwent AVS and adrenalectomy for PA. Two patients did not have imaging findings and 19 were localized with an adenoma. For patients with image localization, AVS was concordant in nine, discordant in four, and nondiagnostic in six. For patients with discordant findings, age range was 35.8 to 72.4 y compared with concordant patient age range of 49.8 to 71.7 y. Overall discordance between imaging results and AVS was 40%. The aldosterone level was associated with concordance with a median of 52 ng/dL compared with 26 ng/dL if discordant (P = 0.002). There was a significant reduction in antihypertensive medications for the entire cohort from a median of three medications (interquartile range 2-4) to 1 medication (interquartile range 1-2), P < 0.001.

CONCLUSIONS

In this cohort, 40% of patients with selective AVS had discordant imaging and AVS results. Aldosterone level was associated with concordance. Hypertension was significantly improved with a median decrease of two antihypertensives. Our results support performance of AVS on all candidates for adrenalectomy for PA.

Utility of Repeat Sampling in Bilateral Aldosterone Suppression During Adrenal Vein Sampling for Primary Aldosteronism

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common form of secondary hypertension. Accurate subtyping of PA is essential to identify unilateral disease, as adrenalectomy improves outcomes. Subtyping PA requires adrenal vein sampling (AVS), which is technically challenging and results from AVS may not always be conclusive. We present a case of a 37-year-old man with PA whose AVS studies were inconclusive due to apparent bilateral aldosterone suppression (ABAS). As a result, our patient was misdiagnosed as having bilateral PA and medically managed until a repeat AVS showed lateralization to the right adrenal gland. ABAS is an underrecognized phenomenon that may confound the subtyping of PA. We recommend repeating AVS in such cases and discuss strategies to minimize ABAS.

Familial hyperaldosteronism: an European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions clinical practice guideline

We describe herein the European Reference Network on Rare Endocrine Conditions clinical practice guideline on diagnosis and management of familial forms of hyperaldosteronism. The guideline panel consisted of 10 experts in primary aldosteronism, endocrine hypertension, paediatric endocrinology, and cardiology as well as a methodologist. A systematic literature search was conducted, and because of the rarity of the condition, most recommendations were based on expert opinion and small patient series. The guideline includes a brief description of the genetics and molecular pathophysiology associated with each condition, the patients to be screened, and how to screen. Diagnostic and treatment approaches for patients with genetically determined diagnosis are presented. The recommendations apply to patients with genetically proven familial hyperaldosteronism and not to families with more than one case of primary aldosteronism without demonstration of a responsible pathogenic variant.

Evaluation of screening practices for primary hyperaldosteronism by specialists and general practitioners: an observational, cross-sectional study

Objective

Despite its recognized importance, primary hyperaldosteronism (PHA) remains an underdiagnosed condition in clinical practice. The objective of the present study was to evaluate PHA screening practices by general practitioners and specialists in endocrinology and cardiology.

Subjects and methods

This cross-sectional, observational study invited physicians to respond voluntarily to an online survey. The survey collected the respondents' sociodemographic data and answers to five hypothetical clinical cases meeting Endocrine Society criteria for PHA screening.

Results

In all, 126 physicians responded to the online survey. Endocrinologists were the specialists who most often chose PHA screening, although the screening rates were overall low, ranging from 36.5% to 92.9%, depending on the case and the respondents' specialty. The survey also assessed the reasons for not choosing PHA screening, which included limited availability of tests within the public health services, interference of antihypertensive medications on hormone levels, and failure to identify the screening indication. Being an endocrinologist was an independent predictor for choosing PHA screening for the patients in Cases #1 and #5 (p = 0.001 and p = 0.002, respectively).

Conclusion

Endocrinologists were the specialists who most often chose PHA screening, although the screening rates were overall low among all specialists. These findings highlight a need for continuing medical education programs addressing PHA screening and making the diagnosis of PHA more present in the daily clinical practice of physicians treating patients with hypertension.