In her PhD thesis, Marianne Aardal Grytaas has found that only a minority achieve normal blood pressure after treatment for primary aldosteronism.

MAIN RESULTS:

1. Overproduction of aldosterone – primary aldosteronism – is probably underdiagnosed in Norway.
2. Only 21 % achieve normal blood pressure after adrenalectomy for primary aldosteronism.
3. Specific treatment reduced left ventricular hypertrophy in newly diagnosed primary aldosteronism.

THESIS DEFENCE:

Thesis: Primary aldosteronism in Western Norway – studies of diagnostic approach and treatment outcome
Candidate: Marianne Aardal Grytaas
Time: September 6, 2018 at 12:30
Place: Haukeland University Hospital, Armauer Hansens hus: Auditorium
Link to university website (in Norwegian)

SUMMARY:

(1) Only 108 individuals were diagnosed with primary aldosteronism in Western Norway between 1998 and 2012. This suggests that the condition is underdiagnosed. Overproduction of aldosterone leads to hypertension. A majority of the patients had the adrenal gland removed, but only 21 % of them had normal blood pressure at the follow-up visit in 2014. Women had higher chance of achieving normotension than men.

(2) Cardiac MR imaging showed severely hypertrophic left ventricle, but no cardiac fibrosis, in 15 newly diagnosed patients with primary aldosteronism. 18 months after treatment with spironolactone or adrenalectomy, the left ventricular mass was reduced to similar levels as healthy, age- and sex-matched controls.

REFERENCES:

(1) Grytaas, M. A., Strømsøy, S. S., Rørvik, J. T., Arnes, J. B., Heie, A., Arnesen, T., Jørstad, M. D., Nedrebø, B. G., Jøssand, D. E., Jensen, D. K., Rørvik, H. D., Sagen, J.V., Mellgren, G., Thordarson, HJ. B., Husebye, E. S., & Løvås, K. (2017). Clinical Characteristics and Long-Term Outcome of Primary Aldosteronism in a Norwegian Population. Hormone and metabolic research= Hormon-und Stoffwechselforschung= Hormones et metabolisme, 49(11), 838.

(2) Grytaas, M. A., Sellevåg, K., Thordarson, H. B., Husebye, E. S., Løvås, K., & Larsen, T. H. (2018). Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging of myocardial mass and fibrosis in primary aldosteronism. Endocrine connections, 7(3), 413-424.