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Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist effect on aldosterone to renin ratio in patients with primary aldosteronism.

PURPOSE
We aimed to evaluate the effect of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists on aldosterone-to-renin ratio in patients with primary aldosteronism.


METHODS
We prospectively enrolled 121 patients with confirmed primary aldosteronism who started a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist (canrenone) treatment. Eighteen patients (11 with unilateral and 7 with bilateral primary aldosteronism) composed the short-term study cohort and underwent aldosterone, renin and potassium measurement after 2 and 8 weeks of canrenone therapy. The long-term cohort comprised 102 patients (16 with unilateral and 67 with bilateral primary aldosteronism, and 19 with undetermined subtype) who underwent hormonal and biochemical re-assessment after 2 to 12 months of canrenone therapy.


RESULTS
Renin and potassium levels showed a significant increase, and aldosterone-to-renin ratio displayed a significant reduction compared with baseline after both a short and long-term treatment. These effects were progressively more evident with higher doses of canrenone and after longer periods of treatment. We demonstrated that canrenone exerted a deep impact on the diagnostic accuracy of the screening test for primary aldosteronism: the rate of false negative tests raised to 16.7%, 38.9%, 54.5% and 72.5% after 2 weeks, 8 weeks, 2-6 months and 7-12 months of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist treatment, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
Mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists should be avoided in patients with hypertension before measurement of renin and aldosterone for screening of primary aldosteronism.