Atorvastatin and Sympathetic Activity in Chronic Kidney Disease

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Hypertensive chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients often have sympathetic hyperactivity which appears to contribute to the pathogenesis of hypertension and cardiovascular organ damage. Experimental studies and some clinical studies have shown that statin therapy can reduce central sympathetic activity. Blockade of the renin-angiotensin system (RAS), which is standard treatment for CKD, is known to lower sympathetic activity. The investigators hypothesize that adding a statin for 6 weeks to RAS blockade would further lower sympathetic activity in hypertensive stage 2-4 CKD patients. Methods: In ten stable CKD patients who are on chronic treatment with renin-angiotenis blockers, blood pressure and sympathetic activity (quantified by assessment of muscle sympathetic nerve activity, MSNA) will be assessed at baseline and 6 weeks after atorvastatin 20mg/day added. Ten other CKD patients will serve as time control and will be studied twice with an interval of 6 weeks without any change in medication, to quantify within subject reproducibility.

Detailed Description
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see above

Official Title
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Atorvastatin Reduces Sympathetic Activity in Patients With Chronic Kidney Disease

Conditions
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Stable Chronic Kidney Disease, Hypertension

Intervention / Treatment
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* Drug: Atorvastatin


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: stable chronic kidney disease Hypertension Exclusion Criteria: renal replacement therapy pregnancy diabetes mellitus

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 85 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Crossover Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Other: 1<br>Arm 1: cessation of any statin therapy for at least 6 weeks, then the first sympathetic activity measurement will be done.Subsequently, atorvastatin 20mg is added for 6 weeks. Then the second sympathetic measurement will be performed. | Drug: Atorvastatin<br>* 6 weeks treatment with atorvastatin and studying the effect of atorvastatin on sympathetic activity<br>* Other names: Lipitor;|
| Other: 2<br>Patients will receive atorvastatin for 6 weeks, then the first sympathetic measurement will be done. Then atorvastatin will be stopped and 6 weeks the second measurement will be done | Drug: Atorvastatin<br>* 6 weeks treatment with atorvastatin and studying the effect of atorvastatin on sympathetic activity<br>* Other names: Lipitor;|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Sympathetic activity |  | 4-6 weeks treatment | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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sympathetic activity, chronic kidney disease, atorvastatin, lipitor