The effect of two different renal denervation strategies on blood pressure in resistant hypertension: Comparison of full‐length versus proximal renal artery ablation

Renal denervation (RDN) is used to manage blood pressure (BP) in patients with resistant hypertension (rHT), but effectiveness is still a concern, and key arterial portion for successful RDN is not clear.The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of proximal versus full-length renal artery ablation in patients with resistant hypertension (rHT).Forty-seven patients with rHT were randomly assigned to receive full-length ablation (n = 23) or proximal ablation (n = 24) of the renal arteries. All lesions were treated with radiofrequency energy via a saline-irrigated catheter. Office BP was measured during 12 months of follow-up and ambulatory BP at baseline and 6 months (n = 15 in each group).Compared with full-length ablation, proximal ablation reduced the number of ablation points in both the right (6.1 ± 0.7 vs. 3.3 ± 0.6, P < 0.001) and the left renal arteries (6.2 ± 0.7 vs. 3.3 ± 0.8, P < 0.001), with significantly shorter RF delivery time (P < 0.001), but higher RF power (P = 0.011). Baseline office BPs was 179.4 ± 13.7/102.8 ± 9.4 mm Hg in the full-length group and 181.9 ± 12.8/103.5 ± 8.9 mm Hg in the proximal group (P > 0.5). Similar office BPs was reduced by -39.4 ± 11.5/-20.9 ± 7.1 mm Hg at 6 months and -38.2 ± 10.3/-21.5 ± 5.8 mm Hg at 12 months in the full-length group (P < 0.001), -42.0 ± 11.6/-21.4 ± 7.9 mm Hg at 6 months and -40.9 ± 10.3/-22.1 ± 5.6 mm Hg at 12 months in the proximal group (P < 0.001), and progressive BP reductions were observed over the 6 months (P < 0.001) in both groups. The drop in ambulatory 24-hr SBP and DBP were significantly less than the drop in office BP (P < 0.001). No renovascular or other adverse complications were observed.The results indicate that proximal RDN has a similar efficacy and safety profile compared with full-length RDN, and propose the proximal artery as the key portion for RDN. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.