Discrepancy of clinical and angiographic results in the follow-up of percutaneous transluminal renal angioplasty (PTRA)

Background: To investigate the value of recurrent hypertension as indicator for renal artery patency after PTRA clinical and angiographic follow-up results were analysed. Patients and methods: results of 66 follow-up angiographies and blood pressure measurements were available in 55 patients after technically and clinically successful PTRA. Out of 43 patients with atherosclerosis, in 33 was recurrent hypertension present, and in ten patients none. Of 12 angiographies in patients with fibromuscular dysplasia nine were done because of recurrent hypertension. Results. In atherosclerosis, 21 (64 %) out of 33 patients with recurrent hypertension showed a re-stenosis by > 70 %, and 12 (36 %) none. Out of the ten follow-up angiographies performed in patients with no recurrence, two showed an unexpected stenosis. fibromuscular dysplasia, stenoses were present in seven cases (77 %). Four of them were at the site of PTRA (44 %), while three were at a new site (33 %). The follow-up angiographies in three patients with no recurrence showed patent arteries. Out of 11 further angiographies carried out because of hypertension after repeated PTRA, only three revealed restenosis. Conclusions: III only about 35 % of all patients with recurrent hypertension re-stenosis was shown in angiography bur in 15 % of asymptomatic patients. Recurrence of hypertension after PTRA and renal artery stenosis is not well correlated. Thus, follow-up should be performed not only clinically bur also by direct examination of renal artery patency such as by ultrasound.