Copeptin Levels in Patients With Treatment-Resistant Hypertension Before and 6 Months After Renal Denervation.

BACKGROUND Copeptin, the C-terminal peptide of provasopressin, is released from the neurohypophysis and reflects the activity of the hormone arginine vasopressin in patients with hypertension. Elevated copeptin levels are associated with increased cardiovascular and all-cause mortality. The aim of this study is to compare copeptin levels in patients with treatment-resistant hypertension (TRH) before and 6 months after renal denervation (RDN). METHODS Copeptin was measured in 34 patients with TRH and 30 patients with primary hypertension stage 1 or 2 (HT). In addition, copeptin levels were measured in patients with TRH at 6-month follow-up visit after RDN. RDN was performed by an experienced interventionalist applying at least 4 ablations longitudinally and rotationally within the lengths of each renal artery to cover a full 4-quadrant ablation. RESULTS In patients with TRH 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure (BP) decreased from 154 ± 15/87 ± 12 mm Hg to 146 ± 13/83 ± 7.9 mm Hg after RDN (systolic: P = 0.001, diastolic: P = 0.034). There was no significant change in copeptin levels in these 34 patients with TRH before vs. 6 months after RDN (median 8.4 [interquartile range 3.6–14] vs. 8.5 [4.5–13] pmol/l, P = 0.334). Patients with TRH had higher copeptin levels (P = 0.024) than patients with HT (24-hour ambulatory BP: 142 ± 11/91 ± 8.3 mm Hg, copeptin: 4.2 [2.8–6.3] pmol/l). CONCLUSION Patients with TRH showed 2-fold higher copeptin levels than patients with HT. RDN did not lead to any change of copeptin levels in patients with TRH 6 months after procedure despite significant fall in BP. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT01318395, NCT01687725 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]