Loading...
Revascularization for atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis can improve artery patency, but is it associated with clinical benefit? In a 5-year U.K. study, investigators randomized 806 patients with renal artery stenosis and related clinical findings (such as difficult-to-control hypertension or unexplained renal dysfunction) to medical management alone or to medical management plus angioplasty (with stenting at the discretion of treating physicians). In all cases, treating physicians were uncertain whether revascularization would confer benefit. Median follow-up was 34 months.
Among participants who were assigned to revascularization, 17% did not undergo the procedure, mainly because angiography revealed that their stenoses were less severe…