Sonographic evaluation of hypertension: Role of atrophic index and renal resistive index

Hypertension can cause structural and functional renal damage. Intrarenal ultrasound parameters have been extensively investigated in hypertensive patients and among the parameters introduced, the renal resistive index (RI) is associated with the progression of chronic kidney disease and hypertension. Atrophic index (AI) is an indirect anatomical ultrasound index that reports the atrophic changes of the renal parenchyma and it is mainly studied in chronic glomerular diseases. The present study aimed to evaluate renal RI and AI in hypertensive patients with normal renal function. AI showed correlations with all parameters associated with renal function reduction (age, creatinine, and intrarenal arterial stiffness). AI, in combination with RI, can represent in hypertensive patients an additional marker for renal damage progression.

Automated summary

This study evaluated intrarenal ultrasound parameters in hypertensive patients with normal renal function, finding that the atrophic index (AI) is correlated with renal function reduction and, in combination with the renal resistive index (RI), can serve as an additional marker for renal damage progression in hypertensive patients.