TABLE 2.
Summary of human renal nerve stimulation studies
| Study | Sample size | Anesthesia | Stimulation protocol | Stimulation sites | RNS responses before RDN | RNS responses after RDN | BP changes following RDN |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gal et al (2015) 36 | 8 | Propofol (2–4 mg/kg/min) |
Frequency: 20 Hz, Pulse width: 2 ms, Output: 5, 10, 15, 20 mA, Duration: 1 min |
Right and left proximal renal arteries | Significant increase in BP, from 108/55 to 132/68 mmHg (p = .001) |
Maximum SBP response was significantly blunted (43 vs. 9 mmHg, p = .002) |
NA |
| de Jong and colleagues (2018) 20 | 35 | Induced by Propofol and maintained by Fentanyl |
Frequency: 20 Hz, Pulse width: 2 ms Output: 20 mA, Duration: 1 min or less if SBP >180 mmHg |
Right and left proximal to distal renal arteries | 289 RNS sites in 35 patients, 180 sites (62%) showed a positive BP response (increase in SBP >10 mmHg), 86 sites (30%) an indifferent response, 13 sites (4.5%) showed a decrease in SBP up to 8 mmHg. | NA | NA |
| de Jong and colleagues (2016) 37 | 14 | Induced by Propofol and maintained by Fentanyl |
Frequency: 20 Hz, Pulse width: 2 ms, Output: 20 mA, Duration: 1 min or less if SBP >180 mmHg |
A minimum of four sites in each renal arteries | A maximal SBP increase of 50±27 mmHg | An SBP increase of 13 ± 16 mmHg at the site with the maximal SBP increase before RDN | 24‐hour systolic BP was 153 ± 11 mmHg before RDN and decreased to 137 ± 10 mmHg at 3‐ to 6‐month follow‐up. RNS‐induced BP changes before versus after RDN were correlated with changes in 24‐h ABPM 3 to 6 months after RDN. |
| de Jong and colleagues (2016) 38 | 21, 9 patients had accessory renal artery | Induced by Propofol and maintained by Fentanyl |
Frequency: 20 Hz, Pulse width: 3 ms, Output: 20 mA, Duration: 1 min or less if SBP >180 mmHg |
At four sites in both right and left renal arteries; at ostium of accessory renal artery | RNS elicited an increase in SBP, both in main (26 ± 3 mmHg) and accessory (24 ± 7 mmHg; p = .047) renal arteries. | RNS–induced SBP increase was blunted in the main renal arteries (ΔSBP, 9 ± 4 mmHg; p = .020) but not in the non‐denervated accessory renal arteries (ΔSBP, 27±8 mmHg; p = .917) | NA |
| Hoogerwaard and colleagues (2021) 39 | 44 | Induced by Propofol |
Frequency: 20 Hz, Pulse width: 2 ms, Output: 20 mA, Duration: 1 min or less if SBP >180 mmHg |
A minimum of 4 sites in each renal arteries | The RNS‐induced maximal systolic BP rise was 43 ± 21 mmHg. |
The RNS‐induced systolic BP change at the site with the maximal systolic BP increase before RDN decreased to 9 ± 12 mmHg. |
Mean 24‐h systolic/diastolic BP decreased from 147±12/ 82±11 mmHg at baseline to 135±11/76±10 mmHg at 6–12 months follow up. RNS‐induced BP changes before versus after RDN were correlated with changes in 24‐hour ABPM 6 to 12 months after RDN. |
Abbreviations: ABPM, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring; BP, blood pressure; DBP, diastolic blood pressure; HR, heart rate; RDN, renal denervation; RNS, renal nerve stimulation, SBP, systolic blood pressure