The Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Hyperaldosteronism in Germany—Results on 555 Patients From the German Conn Registry: Doubts

by Dr. med. Caroline Schirpenbach, Felix Segmiller, PD Dr. med. Sven Diederich, Dr. med. Stefanie Hahner, Prof. Dr. med. Reinhard Lorenz, Prof. Dr. med. Lars C. Rump, Prof. Dr. med. Jochen Seufert, PD Dr. med. Marcus Quinkler Dr. med. Martin Bidlingmaier in volume 18/2009

If 5 centers captured 555 patients with Conn’s syndrome over 16 years—22 patients per year and per center—then I have serious doubts whether “5% to 12% of patients with high blood pressure”—that is, 1.2 million people in Germany—have Conn’s syndrome.

In 20 years working as a specialist in internal medicine I have treated many patients with treatment resistant hypertension. I have often ordered tests for aldosterone and renin, which have almost never given any indication of Conn’s syndrome. Are there any epidemiological data that prove the frequency of Conn’s syndrome in a more convincing manner than the estimates mentioned in the article?
DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.2009.0692a

Dr. med. Jürgen Sindermann
Neuburger Str. 34
86167 Augsburg, Germany
[e-mail]

References

1. Schirpenbach C, Segmiller F, Diederich S, et al.: The diagnosis and treatment of primary hyperaldosteronism in Germany—results on 555 patients from the German Conn Registry [Diagnostik und Therapie des primären Hyperaldosteronismus – Ergebnisse des deutschen Conn-Registers: 555 Patienten mit primärem Hyeraldo-steronismus]. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2009; 106(18): 305–11.