Background/objectives: Short-term blood pressure variability (BPV) is affected by multiple factors including the sympathetic nervous system drive. Regarding the latter, the novel interventional technology of renal denervation (RDN), by modulating the sympathetic system activation, could have a beneficial impact on BPV. The aim of the current study is to review and meta-analyze the available evidence on the effect of RDN on short-term BPV.
Methods: We searched Medline/PubMed database until October 2016 for studies with eligible content. We performed random-effect meta-analyses for 12 outcomes of interest: the standard deviation (SD) of SBP (24 h, daytime and night-time) and DBP (24 h, daytime and night-time), the weighted SD of SBP and DBP across 24 h, the coefficient of variation of SBP and DBP across 24 h and the average real variability of SBP and DBP across 24 h.
Results: RDN reduced the SD of SBP across 24 h [mean change: -1.212 (95% confidence intervals (CIs): -2.354/-0.071), P = 0.037] and decreased the SD of systolic daytime BP [mean difference: -1.617 (95% CIs: -3.21/-0.026), P = 0.046] and diastolic daytime BP (marginally) [mean difference: -2.605 (95% CIs: -5.21/-0.003), P = 0.05]. The effect of RDN in reducing SD of SBP across 24 h or DBP across daytime was not influenced by absolute or relative reduction in SBP and DBP indices. (P > 0.1 for all).
Conclusion: Catheter-based RDN in resistant hypertensive patients can favorably affect short-term BPV, independent of the level of BP reduction. Further investigation of the effect of RDN on BPV is needed with large randomized trials.