Central pulse pressure predicts BP reduction after renal denervation in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension.

AIMS: Enhanced vascular ageing is associated with elevated central pulse pressure (cPP), an independent predictor of cardiovascular (CV) events. Although antihypertensive treatment strategies are effective, high residual CV risk remains indicative of advanced and largely irreversible vascular damage. Renal denervation (RDN) has been shown to reduce blood pressure (BP) to various extents in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension (TRH). We hypothesised that cPP predicts BP reduction after RDN. METHODS AND
RESULTS: Sixty-three patients with true TRH underwent catheter-based RDN using the Symplicity Flex™ catheter and were followed for six months. At baseline, cPP was assessed by pulse wave analysis (SphygmoCor™). Patients were stratified according to their median cPP (55 mmHg), and called "low cPP" (below the median) or "high cPP" (above the median). Office BP reduction six months after RDN was greater (-22±19/-13±11 vs. -12±20/-5±13 mmHg, p=0.038/0.014) and 24-hr ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) reduction tended to be greater (-11±13/-8±10 vs. -3±18/-4±10 mmHg, p=0.070/0.112) in patients with low cPP compared to those with high cPP. Only cPP (β=0.687, p=0.001) and baseline systolic BP (β=-0.564, p<0.001) were independent determinants of office systolic BP reduction after RDN.
CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that cPP, indicative of the degree of large arterial stiffening, may be helpful to identify responders to RDN.