Renal allograft protection with angiotensin II type 1 receptor antagonists.

What Was Tested

This randomized controlled trial looks at Losartan.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, the researchers evaluated the influence of losartan on surrogate markers of tubular injury, urine excretion of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) and amino-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) in 16 patients after transplantation.

The target office through blood pressure (BP) was below 130/85 mmHg.

Who Took Part

The abstract describes 16 patients taking part.

PubMed indexes the participants as adults and middle-aged adults, both men and women.

How the Study Was Run

In design terms this was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled and crossover study.

Random assignment meant chance, not the researchers, decided who got Losartan and who got the comparison, which limits bias.

Neither the patients nor the staff measuring them knew who was on Losartan, so expectations could not easily colour the readings.

The comparison arm used a placebo, so changes seen with Losartan could be set against what happens without it.

Each person switched between Losartan and the comparison at some point, usually with a gap in between.

What Was Measured

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled, cross-over study, the researchers evaluated the influence of losartan on surrogate markers of tubular injury, urine excretion of transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-beta1) and amino-terminal propeptide of type III procollagen (PIIINP) in 16 patients after transplantation.

The subject headings attached to it are Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers, Biomarkers, Carbazoles, Carvedilol, Fibrosis, Kidney and Kidney Transplantation.

What This Means in Plain Language

The paper is a randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled study of Losartan in 16 patients.

With fewer than 40 people, it is a small study, so it is better read as an early signal for further research than as a settled answer.

The publication is from 2007 (American journal of transplantation : official journal of the American Society of Transplantation and the American Society of Transplant Surgeons), a journal based in United States.

More context: all human trials.