The characteristics of captopril challenge test–positive patients using various criteria

Introduction:The captopril challenge test (CCT) is the major confirmatory test for primary aldosteronism (PA), and frequently carried out because of its convenience. However, it presents false-negative results with a certain probability, and as there are many criteria for CCT, it is not concluded yet which criteria to use.Materials and methods:A total of 71 PA patients were evaluated. We compared CCT-positive and CCT-negative patients in the following three criteria: plasma aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR) &gt;200 after the CCT (criterion 1); plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) &gt;120 pg/ml after the CCT (criterion 2); and PAC suppression &lt;30% of PAC before CCT (criterion 3).Results:The positive rate was 70.4%, 64.8% and 54.9% for criterion 1, criterion 2 and criterion 3, respectively. With criterion 1, the baseline plasma renin activity was lower, thus baseline ARR was higher in CCT-positive patients. With criterion 2, PAC was higher and estimated sodium intake and K were lower in CCT-positive patients. With criterion 3, K and PAC were lower in CCT-positive patients. Although it was not significant, in the patients with high sodium intake, the positive rate of criterion 1 was higher than that of the other criteria.Conclusions:ARR&gt;200 is the valuable criterion for the diagnosis of PA.</jats:sec

Evaluation of various confirmatory tests for the diagnosis of aldosterone-producing adenoma

Introduction: Adrenal venous sampling is useful for discriminating unilateral and bilateral hypersecretion in patients with primary aldosteronism, but it is relatively invasive. To determine the site of hypersecretion more non-invasively, we evaluated predictors of unilateral hypersecretion. Materials and methods: We evaluated the baseline characteristics and the results of confirmatory tests of 123 patients with primary aldosteronism who underwent adrenal venous sampling. Results: Unilateral hypersecretion was identified in 22.0%. The plasma aldosterone concentration and aldosterone–renin ratio were significantly higher and serum potassium concentration and plasma renin activity were significantly lower in patients with unilateral hypersecretion. Plasma aldosterone concentrations after captopril challenge test, saline infusion test and rapid adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test were significantly higher among patients with unilateral hypersecretion. The plasma aldosterone concentration reduction ratio in saline infusion test and plasma aldosterone concentration elevation ratio during rapid adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test were significantly higher in patients with unilateral hypersecretion. However, areas under the curve for these parameters were not superior to the values after confirmatory tests. Conclusions: The plasma aldosterone concentration values after captopril challenge test, saline infusion test and rapid adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation test were useful for identifying patients with unilateral hypersecretion. However, value changes or ratios during confirmatory tests are less useful for this aim. </jats:sec

Sodium polystyrene sulfonate as an additional contributing factor to repeated gastric ulcers among other multiple factors in a patient undergoing hemodialysis: a case report

Abstract Background Sodium polystyrene sulfonate (SPS) is a cation-exchange resin used to treat hyperkalemia. Although colorectal ulcers are known side effects of long-term SPS use, few studies have reported SPS-associated gastric ulcers. Herein, we report a case of repeated gastric ulcers during SPS administration. Case presentation The patient was a 55-year-old man who was on SPS treatment of hyperkalemia since the initiation of hemodialysis (HD) at the age of 51 years. At the age of 54 years, he started taking vonoprazan fumarate after developing a bleeding duodenal ulcer. The patient underwent laparoscopic pylorus-preserving gastrectomy for four recurrent bleeding gastric ulcers. The resected specimen showed an ulcerative lesion in the pyloric curvature of the stomach, and pathological findings showed deposition of a basophilic crystalline substance resembling a cation-exchange resin at the base of the ulcer. Conclusion In this case, various factors, including diabetic gastroenteropathy, use of multiple calcium channel blockers and phosphate binders, obesity, and lifestyle, contributed to decreased gastrointestinal peristalsis. This may have promoted SPS deposition in the stomach, potentially leading to ulceration