Aliskiren suppresses the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system and reduces blood pressure and albuminuria in elderly chronic kidney disease patients with hypertension

Background: We investigated the effects of aliskiren in terms of its inhibition of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) as well as that on blood pressure (BP), and renal and cardiac protection in elderly chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients with hypertension.

Methods: Nineteen elderly CKD patients (nine males, ten females, aged 74.6 ± 5.8 years) were assigned to receive 150 mg/day of aliskiren added to existing antihypertensives for 6 months. Changes in plasma renin activity (PRA), angiotensin I (Ang I), angiotensin II (Ang II), aldosterone (Ald), BP, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), urine albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), interventricular septum thickness (IVST), left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT), and plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels were evaluated.

Results: ALISKIREN SUPPRESSED THE RAAS AS FOLLOWS: PRA 1.3 ± 1.0 to 0.3 ± 0.3 ng/mL/hour, P < 0.05; Ang I 59.5 ± 32.1 to 26.0 ± 17.3 pg/mL, P < 0.05; Ang II 58.4 ± 62.1 to 14.3 ± 9.0 pg/mL, P < 0.05; and Ald 86.1 ± 38.3 to 80.1 ± 52.6 pg/mL, not significant (NS). Aliskiren reduced BP (153.6/77.2 ± 14.9/10.4 to 130.9/72.2 ± 15.6/9.9 mmHg, P < 0.05). It also reduced UACR (747.1 ± 1121.4 to 409.6 ± 636.8 mg/g, P < 0.05), whereas it did not change eGFR (52.1 ± 29.2 to 51.2 ± 29.3 mL/min/1.73 m(2), NS), LVEF (66.8 ± 7.9 to 66.5% ± 6.8%, NS), IVST (10.1 ± 1.8 to 9.9 ± 1.8 mm, NS), LVPWT (10.0 ± 1.6 mm to 10.0 ± 1.4 mm, NS), or BNP (48.2 ± 46.0 to 54.9 ± 41.1 pg/mL, NS).

Conclusion: Aliskiren was effective for BP control and reduced UACR while maintaining eGFR and heart function in elderly CKD patients with hypertension.