Prevalence and predictors of renal artery stenosis in patients with myocardial infarction

Abstract

In recent years, the importance of renovascular disease as a cause of end-stage renal disease has been emphasized. Among 1,788 cases autopsied during the 12-year period between 1981 and 1992 at the National Cardiovascular Center Hospital, we examined cases over 40 years of age with autopsy evidence of myocardial infarction to determine the prevalence and predictors of atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis in the atherosclerotic population. Two hundred ninety-seven patients remained for analysis. In this population, atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis was found in 35 patients (12%), and 10 of them had bilateral renal artery stenosis. In patients with hypertension, proteinuria, and renal insufficiency, renal artery stenosis was found in 19%, 39%, and 39%, respectively. As the number of coronary vessels with significant stenosis increased, the prevalence of renal artery stenosis increased. The severity of stenotic lesions of coronary artery was also correlated with the presence of renal artery stenosis. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified age, hypertension, proteinuria, and renal insufficiency as independent predictors of renal artery stenosis. Patients with hypertension, proteinuria, and renal insufficiency had 3.4-, 13.5-, and 4.8-fold increased risk of renal artery stenosis in the population with myocardial infarction. The number of coronary arteries with severe stenosis was also an independent predictor of renal artery stenosis, and had a relative risk of 2.1. These results indicated that atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis is common in patients with myocardial infarction, particularly when hypertension, proteinuria, or renal insufficiency is present. The presence of severe multivessel coronary artery disease suggests a higher incidence of renal artery stenosis.