Primary aldosteronism in patients with acute stroke: prevalence and diagnosis during initial hospitalization

Prevalence of primary aldosteronism in acute stroke or transient ischemic attack: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Background and purpose

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common endocrine cause of secondary hypertension with a prevalence of 14% in patients with newly diagnosed hypertension. Patients with PA experience a higher rate of cardiovascular events including stroke when compared to those with blood pressure matched essential hypertension. This systematic review and meta-analysis summarize current evidence on the prevalence of PA in patients with acute stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA).

Methods

Two reviewers independently reviewed the literature for observational studies on the prevalence of PA in patients with acute stroke or TIA. MEDLINE and Embase were searched for studies up to December 13, 2023.

Results

Three single center studies conducted in Japan, Singapore and China were found to meet the inclusion criteria. The reported prevalence of PA in two cohort studies of adults with stroke or TIA were 3.1% and 4.0% and a third cross-sectional study in adults under 45 years old revealed a prevalence rate of 12.9%. Following a meta-analysis, the pooled prevalence of PA in adults with stroke or TIA is 5.8% [95% CI 1.6%-12.3%].

Conclusions

A considerable proportion of patients with stroke or TIA may have PA as the underlying cause of their hypertension. Given the increased risk of stroke associated with PA, clinicians should consider screening for PA in hypertensive patients with stroke or TIA. Further research is needed to evaluate the effect of timing and interfering medications on test results, which will inform an evidence-based approach to testing for PA following TIA or stroke.

Systematic review registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/, identifier CRD42022328644.

Hypertension in the emergency department: A missed opportunity to screen for primary aldosteronism?

OBJECTIVES

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is a common but underdiagnosed secondary cause of hypertension. Emergency departments (EDs) often assess patients with severe hypertension or its sequelae, some of whom have underlying PA. We aimed to determine the proportion of patients presenting to the ED with hypertension who meet the Endocrine Society criteria for PA testing and the proportion who were screened.

METHODS

We performed a structured retrospective chart review of adults who presented to three EDs in an Australian tertiary health network between August 2019 and February 2020, with a coded presenting complaint of hypertension. Clinical parameters to determine whether the patients met the criteria for PA testing were extracted from electronic medical records.

RESULTS

Of the 418 patients who presented to the EDs with documented elevated blood pressure (BP), 181 patients (43.3%) fulfilled PA screening criteria and nine patients (2.2%) underwent PA testing. Individuals who fulfilled screening criteria were older; had higher prevalence of Type 2 diabetes, coronary artery disease, and congestive heart failure; took more antihypertensive medications; and had lower estimated glomerular filtration rate. Individuals who were tested for PA were younger and had higher BP on presentation. Screening for PA was more frequent in patients who were referred to medical teams.

CONCLUSIONS

As far as we are aware, our study is the first to evaluate PA testing in hypertensive patients who present to ED. More than 40% of adults presenting to the EDs with hypertension met the current criteria for testing for PA but only few were tested. These results emphasize that increased awareness of PA in the ED is needed to encourage opportunistic testing, referral, and treatment, especially in patients who present with hypertensive emergencies. Prospective studies are required to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of this.

Laparoscopic adrenalectomy for adrenal tumors with endocrine activity: Perioperative management pathways for reduced complications and improved outcomes

The major adrenal tumors with endocrine activity are primary aldosteronism, Cushing's syndrome/mild autonomous cortisol secretion, and pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma. Excessive aldosterone secretion in primary aldosteronism causes cardiovascular, renal, and other organ damage in addition to hypertension and hypokalemia. Cortisol hypersecretion in Cushing's syndrome/mild autonomous cortisol secretion causes obesity, hypertension, impaired glucose tolerance, and cardiometabolic syndrome. Massive secretion of catecholamines in pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma causes hypertension and cerebrocardiovascular disease due to rapid blood pressure fluctuation. Moreover, pheochromocytoma multi-system crisis is a feared and possibly fatal presentation of pheochromocytoma/paraganglioma. Thus, adrenal tumors with endocrine activity are considered an indication for adrenalectomy, and perioperative management is very important. They have a risk of perioperative complications, either due to direct hemodynamic effects of the hormone hypersecretion or due to hormone-related comorbidities. In the last decades, deliberate preoperative evaluation and advanced perioperative management have significantly reduced complications and improved outcomes. Furthermore, improvements in anesthesia and surgical techniques with the feasibility of laparoscopic adrenalectomy have contributed to reduced morbidity and mortality. However, there are still several challenges to be considered in the perioperative care of these patients. There are very few data available prospectively to guide clinical management, due to the rarity of adrenal tumors with endocrine activity. Therefore, most guidelines are based on retrospective data analyses or small case series. In this review, the latest knowledge is summarized, and practical pathways to reduce perioperative complications and improve outcomes in adrenal tumors with endocrine activity are presented.

Primary Aldosteronism Prevalence - An Unfolding Story

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is characterized by dysregulated, renin-independent aldosterone excess. Long perceived as rare, PA has emerged as one of the most common causes of secondary hypertension. Failure to recognize and treat PA results in cardiovascular and renal complications, through processes mediated by both direct target tissue insults and indirectly, by hypertension. PA spans a continuum of dysregulated aldosterone secretion, which is typically recognized in late stages after treatment-resistant hypertension and cardiovascular and/or renal complications develop. Determining the precise disease burden remains challenging due to heterogeneity in testing, arbitrary thresholds, and populations studied. This review summarizes the reports on PA prevalence among the general population and in specific high-risk subgroups, highlighting the impact of rigid versus permissive criteria on PA prevalence perception.

Japan Endocrine Society clinical practice guideline for the diagnosis and management of primary aldosteronism 2021

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is associated with higher cardiovascular morbidity and mortality rates than essential hypertension. The Japan Endocrine Society (JES) has developed an updated guideline for PA, based on the evidence, especially from Japan. We should preferentially screen hypertensive patients with a high prevalence of PA with aldosterone to renin ratio ≥200 and plasma aldosterone concentrations (PAC) ≥60 pg/mL as a cut-off of positive results. While we should confirm excess aldosterone secretion by one positive confirmatory test, we could bypass patients with typical PA findings. Since PAC became lower due to a change in assay methods from radioimmunoassay to chemiluminescent enzyme immunoassay, borderline ranges were set for screening and confirmatory tests and provisionally designated as positive. We recommend individualized medicine for those in the borderline range for the next step. We recommend evaluating cortisol co-secretion in patients with adrenal macroadenomas. Although we recommend adrenal venous sampling for lateralization before adrenalectomy, we should carefully select patients rather than all patients, and we suggest bypassing in young patients with typical PA findings. A selectivity index ≥5 and a lateralization index >4 after adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation defines successful catheterization and unilateral subtype diagnosis. We recommend adrenalectomy for unilateral PA and mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists for bilateral PA. Systematic as well as individualized clinical practice is always warranted. This JES guideline 2021 provides updated rational evidence and recommendations for the clinical practice of PA, leading to improved quality of the clinical practice of hypertension.

Primary Aldosteronism More Prevalent in Patients With Cardioembolic Stroke and Atrial Fibrillation

BACKGROUND

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of secondary hypertension, and patients are at an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) and stroke. We assessed the prevalence of PA in patients with recent stroke.

METHODS

We recruited 300 patients admitted to an acute stroke unit with diagnosis of cerebrovascular accident (haemorrhagic/ischaemic) or transient ischaemic attack. Three months post-stroke, plasma renin and aldosterone were measured. Patients with an elevated aldosterone-renin ratio proceeded to the confirmatory saline loading test.

RESULTS

Twenty-six of 192 (14%) patients had an elevated aldosterone-renin ratio. Three of 14 patients who proceeded to saline loading were confirmed with PA (post-saline aldosterone >138 pmol/l). Another three patients were classified as confirmed/likely PA based on the markedly elevated aldosterone-renin ratio and clinical characteristics. The overall prevalence of PA amongst stroke patients with hypertension was 4.0% (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.9%-7.1%). Prevalence of PA was higher amongst patients with cardioembolic stroke, 11% (95% CI: 1.3%-33%), resistant hypertension, 11% (95% CI: 0.3%-48%), and hypertension and AF, 30% (95%CI: 6.7%-65%). If only young patients or those with hypokalaemia were screened for PA, half of our patients with PA would not have been diagnosed. Our decision tree identified that stroke patients with AF and diastolic blood pressure ≥83mmHg were most likely to have PA.

CONCLUSION

We found that amongst hypertensive patients with stroke, PA was more prevalent in those with AF, or cardioembolic stroke. Screening for PA should be considered for all patients with stroke.

Hypertension Management in Stroke Prevention: Time to Consider Primary Aldosteronism

Primary aldosteronism confers a higher risk of stroke, atrial fibrillation, and cardiovascular disease than blood pressure matched essential hypertension. It is the most common endocrine cause of secondary hypertension with prevalence estimates of up to 13% in primary care and 30% in referral centers around the world. Unlike essential hypertension, primary aldosteronism has targeted medical treatment and potentially curative surgical solutions which can ameliorate the associated cardiovascular risks. This narrative review highlights an evidence gap in the optimal diagnosis and targeted treatment of primary aldosteronism in secondary stroke prevention. Over half of the patients suffering a stroke have blood pressure in the hypertensive range and less than a third achieve optimal blood pressure control. There are no guideline recommendations to test for primary aldosteronism in these patients, although up to 30% of patients with resistant hypertension may have this disease. The accurate diagnosis of primary aldosteronism could significantly improve blood pressure, simplify the medication regimen and reduce the overall cardiovascular risk in these patients. The challenges associated with screening for primary aldosteronism following stroke may be overcome by novel blood tests which are less affected by antihypertensive medications routinely used in stroke care. Approximately one-quarter of all strokes occur in patients who have previously had a stroke. Modifying hypertension, the leading modifiable risk factor, would, therefore, have significant public health implications. As clinicians, we must increase our awareness of primary aldosteronism in patients with stroke, particularly in those with resistant hypertension, to enable targeted therapy and reduce the risk of stroke recurrence.

Seizure and coma secondary to Conn's syndrome: a case report

Background

Conn’s syndrome is a curable condition if identified properly. It is characterized by autonomous secretion of aldosterone from the adrenal gland cortex. Its morbidity is related to the increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 48-year-old man of African descent presenting with generalized tonic-clonic seizure and coma secondary to hypertensive encephalopathy. A biochemical evaluation revealed a very high aldosterone level and an undetectable renin level, both are compatible with primary aldosteronism. The presentation of the following confirms the diagnosis of primary aldosteronism: spontaneous hypokalemia, an undetectable renin level, and a high aldosterone level. Abdominal computed tomography revealed a left adrenal adenoma. Adrenal venous sampling confirmed lateralization of aldosterone excretion from the left adrenal gland. Our patient underwent left laparoscopic adrenalectomy that confirmed a left functional adrenal adenoma. After 12 months of follow up, his hypertension was controlled on only one antihypertensive drug which was down from four drugs preoperatively.

Conclusion

Conn’s syndrome, in this case, was complicated by coma secondary to seizure. Adrenalectomy normalized the hypokalemia and improved resistant hypertension. Potassium supplementation and several antihypertensives were discontinued as our patient became normokalemic and normotensive on one antihypertensive agent.

Primary aldosteronism in young adults with acute stroke: Prevalence and clinical characteristics

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is notably an independent risk factor for cerebral vascular disease but currently with limited knowledge among young adults. The objectives of the study were to investigate the prevalence of PA in patients under 45 years old with history of acute stroke and the clinical characteristics during stroke attack. We retrieved the medical records of 116 patients once admitted due to acute stroke and cross-sectionally conducted screening test as well as confirmatory test among those patients. An estimated prevalence of PA was 12.7% among all patients and 21.2% among patients combined with hypertension. During stroke attack, PA patients had experienced higher blood pressure as well as decreased potassium level. The average SBP and DBP of PA patients were 180.0 ± 30.9 and 125.9 ± 24.5 mmHg respectively, both remarkably higher than those without PA(mean SBP 148.9 ± 29.6 mmHg, mean DBP94.1 ± 20.5 mmHg). The mean potassium level was 3.13 ± 0.50 vs. 4.01 ± 0.40 mmol/l. The proportion of hypertension and hypokalemia were also increased for PA patients compared with patients without (hypertension 93.3% vs. 51.5%; hypokalemia 80% vs. 8.9%). Patients were equal in National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score as well as Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) and stroke subtypes. Considering the fact that excessive aldosterone had detrimental role on cerebral vascular system, we recommend a more rigorous screening for PA with stroke onset under 45 years old, especially those combined with severe hypertension as well as overt hypokalemia.

Serum Aldosterone Is Associated with Cerebral Artery Atherosclerosis and Calcification

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Elevated serum aldosterone concentration is known to be linked with elevated risk of cerebrovascular events as a result of vascular senescence. We studied the association between serum aldosterone concentration and cerebral arteriosclerosis status involving cerebral atherosclerosis burden and cerebral vascular calcification.

METHODS

A total of 207 patients (mean age = 62.40 ± 10.54, 70 female patients) admitted with acute ischemic stroke from a single center-based stroke registry were included in the study. The participants were categorized into 4 groups in accordance to the serum aldosterone concentration. Cerebral atherosclerosis burden was derived as the stenosis degree of main intracranial arteries, and cerebral artery calcification was investigated from the cavernous portions of both internal carotid arteries from brain computed tomography angiography.

RESULTS

The median aldosterone was 146.00 pg/mL; interquartile range was 133.18-172.10 pg/mL. Advanced intracranial atherosclerosis was present in 134 patients (64.7%) and advanced intracranial arterial calcification was present in 77 patients (37.2%). The prevalence of cerebral atherosclerosis burden and cerebral artery calcification showed increasing tendency through the aldosterone quartiles. Multivariable logistic regression analysis including age, sex, vascular risk factors, estimated glomerular filtration rate and aldosterone quartiles disclosed that the highest serum aldosterone quartile was an independent predictor of advanced intracranial atherosclerosis (odds ratio, 5.07; 95% confidence interval, 1.82-14.17; P_trend = .001) and advanced intracranial arterial calcification (odds ratio, 6.24; 95% confidence interval, 2.03-19.22; P_trend = .001).

CONCLUSIONS

An increased serum aldosterone concentration was independently associated with intracranial atherosclerosis burden and arterial calcification. Future studies should investigate whether aldosterone antagonists prevent stroke in at risk population.

Primary Aldosteronism and Cerebrovascular Diseases

As diagnostic techniques have advanced, primary aldosteronism (PA) has emerged as the most common cause of secondary hypertension. The excess of aldosterone caused by PA resulted in not only cardiovascular complications, including coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, and heart failure, but also cerebrovascular complications, such as stroke and transient ischemic attack. Moreover, PA is associated more closely with these conditions than is essential hypertension. In this review, we present up-to-date findings on the association between PA and cerebrovascular diseases.