Clinical Usefulness of Duplex Ultrasonography for the Assessment of Renal Arteriosclerosis in Essential Hypertensive Patients.

Abstract

The present study was carried out to investigate whether the renal resistive index (RRI), obtained by ultrasonic duplex scanning, is useful for the evaluation of renal arteriosclerosis in essential hypertensive patients. We also studied the relationships between RRI and other kinds of hypertensive target-organ damage, including carotid atherosclerosis. One hundred and two patients (56.4+/-9.4 years) with untreated mild or moderate essential hypertension were examined. The normal range of RRI was determined for 12 normal age-matched volunteers (55.0+/-6.6 years). Hypertensive organ damage was evaluated by funduscopy, electrocardiograms, and carotid B-mode imaging. Based on the mean and distribution of RRI in normal volunteers (0.60+/-0.05), the normal upper limit of RRI was found to be 0.7. RRI was correlated with creatinine clearance (CCr) (r=-0.61, p<0.05), and blood urea nitrogen (r=0.46, p<0.05), but not with serum creatinine. In addition, the incidence of abnormal RRI (>0.7) was higher in patients with left ventricular hypertrophy and in those with advanced carotid atherosclerosis (p<0.01, respectively). Thus, RRI appears to be more strongly associated with CCr than with serum creatinine, and it increases in patients with hypertensive end-organ damage. The assessment of RRI may be useful for the evaluation of early renal damage in essential hypertension.

Angiographic Index for Angioplasty-Treatable Atheromatous Renal Artery Stenosis

“…The parameters obtained by Doppler ultrasonography, such as the resistance index, are generally used to evaluate the vascular resistance (24,25). The renal function itself is also considered to reflect the vascular resistance of the intrarenal arteries (21).…”

Influence of hypertension on lower urinary tract symptoms in benign prostatic hyperplasia

“…It has been reported that renal arterial resistance is high in patients with hypertension, 18,19 and an increase of renal arterial resistance leads to lower urine output. Serum catecholamine levels have a diurnal rhythm, increasing in the daytime and decreasing at night.…”

The Renal Arterial Resistance Index and Renal Allograft Survival

“…Several authors have found an increased resistance index particularly in patients who have signs of hypertensive end-organ damage such as microalbuminuria, left ventricular hypertrophy, increased carotid-wall thickness, and overt carotid atherosclerosis. [19][20][21] The resistance index during long-term follow-up has been used to diagnose allograft nephropathy. 6,22 No close association was observed between the resistance index and renal histology in these earlier studies or in our investigation.…”