A randomized, multi-center, prospective study comparing best medical treatment versus best medical treatment plus renal artery stenting in patients with hemodynamically relevant atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (RADAR) – one-year results of a pre-maturely terminated study

• Main Authors: Thomas Zeller, Hans Krankenberg, Andrejs Erglis, Erwin Blessing, Torsten Fuss, Dierk Scheinert, Ralf Weser, Beatrix B. Doerr, Wilfrid D. Yollo, Joerg Radermacher, for the RADAR Investigators
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: BMC 2017-08-01
• Series: Trials
• Subjects: Renal artery stenosis; Renal artery stenting; Best medical treatment; Best medical therapy; Renal function; Hypertension
• Online Access: http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s13063-017-2126-x

Abstract Background The indications for conservative “best medical treatment” (BMT) versus additional renal artery stenting are a matter of ongoing debate. The RADAR study aimed to evaluate the impact of percutaneous renal artery stenting on the impaired renal function in patients with hemodynamically significant atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis (RAS). Methods RADAR is an international, prospective, randomized (1:1) controlled study comparing BMT alone versus BMT plus renal artery stenting in patients with duplex sonographic hemodynamically relevant RAS. Follow-up assessments were at 2, 6, and 12 months and at 3 years. The primary endpoint was change in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) at 12 months. Results Due to slow enrollment, RADAR was terminated early after inclusion of 86 of the scheduled 300 patients (28.7%). Change in eGFR between baseline and 12 months was 4.3 ± 15.4 ml/min/1.73 m2 (stent group) and 3.0 ± 14.9 ml/min/1.73 m2 (BMT group), p > 0.999. Clinical event rates were low with a 12-month composite of cardiac death, stroke, myocardial infarction, and hospitalization for congestive heart failure of 2.9% in the stent and 5.3% in the BMT group, p = 0.526, and a 3-year composite of 14.8% and 12.0%, p = 0.982. At 3 years, target vessel (re-)vascularization occurred in one patient (3.0%) in the stent group and in 8 patients (29.4%) in the BMT group. Conclusion In RADAR, outcomes of renal artery stenting were similar to BMT. These results have to be interpreted with the caveat that the study did not reach its statistically based sample size. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov, NCT00640406. Registered on 17 March 2008.