The Effect of Renal Denervation on Cardiac Diastolic Function in Patients with Hypertension and Paroxysmal Atrial Fibrillation

OBJECTIVE: Renal artery denervation (RDN) can treat hypertension and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF). Hypertension and PAF can affect cardiac diastolic function. The study aimed to evaluate the effect of RDN on cardiac diastolic function in patients with refractory hypertension and PAF. METHODS: 190 consecutive patients with hypertension and PAF were recruited. The levels of NT-proBNP and metrics of echocardiography were measured before and after RDN in patients with refractory hypertension and PAF. The 190 patients were divided into the decreasing HR and nondecreasing HR group, the decreasing MAP and nondecreasing MAP group, the HFPEF group, and the normal diastolic function group, respectively. RESULTS: Before RDN, the indices about cardiac diastolic function were out of the normal range. After RDN, the diastolic function improved in the indices of NT-proBNP, E/e′, e′. The diastolic function about the indices of NT-proBNP, E/e′, e′ was improved in the decreasing HR group, the decreasing mean arterial pressure (MAP) group, and the HFPEF group, correspondingly compared to the nondecreasing HR group, the non-decreasing MAP group, and the preoperative normal diastolic function group. In the multivariate analysis, the MAP and HR were the only two indicators significantly associated with the improvement of diastolic function. CONCLUSION: RDN could improve the diastolic function in patients with refractory hypertension and PAF. Patients with HFPEF could receive benefits through RDN. It was speculated that RDN improved the diastolic function mainly through decreasing HR and MAP.