Systematic review of the clinical outcomes of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist treatment versus adrenalectomy in patients with primary aldosteronism

Primary aldosteronism (PA) is the most common cause of secondary hypertension. The aim of this study was to review the clinical outcomes after mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonist treatment versus adrenalectomy treatment in patients with PA. Relevant medical literature from PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and the ICHUSHI database from 1985 to August 2017 was reviewed. Data extraction was performed independently by three authors. The incidence of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease, the improvement of left ventricular hypertrophy or hypokalemia, the severity of hypertension, the incidence of renal dysfunction, and the reduction in the number of oral antihypertensive agents were set as the clinical outcomes. Of the 302 articles selected, 16 were included in the final analysis. Regarding the two therapeutic strategies, no difference in the reduced incidence of cerebrovascular or cardiovascular disease, the prevalence of left ventricular hypertrophy or hypokalemia, or the severity of hypertension, as well as an increase in the incidence of renal dysfunction was observed. Regarding the decrease in the number of oral antihypertensive agents, more agents were reduced in patients who underwent adrenalectomy. Available evidence indicated that the clinical outcomes were not different in PA patients treated with MR antagonist or adrenalectomy, except for a reduction in the number of antihypertensive agents.