Cardiovascular

Diagnostic value of 24-h urinary aldosterone and related biomarkers for screening primary aldosteronism in medication-exposed populations.

TL;DR

Under conditions of ongoing antihypertensive medication use, UARR exhibits excellent diagnostic accuracy (AUC = 0.862) for primary aldosteronism screening, whereas 24h-Uald alone demonstrates only modest diagnostic performance (AUC = 0.657).

Key Findings

Both 24h-Uald and UARR levels were significantly higher in patients with PA than in those with essential hypertension.

  • Comparison was statistically significant (P < 0.05) for both biomarkers.
  • Patients were retrospectively enrolled from a single hospital between August 2024 and August 2025.
  • All measurements were taken while patients were receiving ongoing antihypertensive therapy.
  • Baseline clinical characteristics and biochemical parameters were collected under medication-exposed conditions.

After adjustment for potential confounders, 24h-Uald and UARR remained independently associated with PA.

  • Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to assess independent associations.
  • Confounders adjusted for included age, body mass index, renal function, and history of coronary artery disease.
  • Both biomarkers maintained statistical significance after adjustment.

UARR demonstrated excellent diagnostic accuracy for PA screening in medication-exposed patients.

  • ROC curve analysis showed UARR achieved an AUC of 0.862.
  • UARR incorporates renin measurements alongside urinary aldosterone.
  • This performance was achieved under conditions of ongoing antihypertensive medication use.

24h-Uald alone demonstrated only modest diagnostic performance for PA screening in medication-exposed patients.

  • ROC curve analysis showed 24h-Uald achieved an AUC of 0.657.
  • The diagnostic performance was characterized as 'modest' by the authors.
  • The limited performance occurred specifically under conditions of ongoing antihypertensive medication use.

UARR demonstrated higher diagnostic accuracy and greater clinical utility compared to 24h-Uald alone for PA screening.

  • AUC for UARR was 0.862 versus 0.657 for 24h-Uald.
  • The authors concluded that UARR, by incorporating renin measurements, provides superior clinical utility.
  • The study population consisted of hypertensive patients undergoing PA screening while on antihypertensive therapy.

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Citation

Chen S, Chen K, Wu J, Yang J, Shen L, Yuan H. (2026). Diagnostic value of 24-h urinary aldosterone and related biomarkers for screening primary aldosteronism in medication-exposed populations.. Frontiers in endocrinology. https://doi.org/10.3389/fendo.2026.1792072