RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Potential spironolactone effects on collagen metabolism biomarkers in patients with uncontrolled blood pressure JF Heart JO Heart FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd and British Cardiovascular Society SP 307 OP 314 DO 10.1136/heartjnl-2018-313182 VO 105 IS 4 A1 Ferreira, João Pedro A1 Rossignol, Patrick A1 Pizard, Anne A1 Machu, Jean-Loup A1 Collier, Timothy A1 Girerd, Nicolas A1 Huby, Anne-Cécile A1 Gonzalez, Arantxa A1 Diez, Javier A1 López, Begoña A1 Sattar, Naveed A1 Cleland, John G A1 Sever, Peter S A1 Zannad, Faiez YR 2019 UL http://heart.bmj.com/content/105/4/307.abstract AB Background An increase in myocardial collagen content may contribute to the development of heart failure; this might be inhibited or reversed by mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs). We investigated changes in serum concentrations of the collagen synthesis biomarkers N-terminal propeptide of procollagen type III (PIIINP) (primary outcome) and C-terminal propeptide of procollagen type I (PICP) (secondary outcome) after non-randomised initiation of spironolactone as add-on therapy among patients with resistant hypertension enrolled in the ‘Anglo-Scandinavian Cardiac Outcomes’ trial (ASCOT).Methods An age/sex matching plus propensity-scored logistic regression model incorporating variables related to the outcome and spironolactone treatment was created to compare patients treated with spironolactone for a 9-month period versus matched controls. A within-person analysis comparing changes in serum biomarker concentrations in the 9 months before versus after spironolactone treatment was also performed.Results Patients included in the between-person analysis (n=146) were well matched: the mean age was 63±7 years and 11% were woman. Serum concentrations of PIIINP and PICP rose in ‘controls’ and fell during spironolactone treatment (adjusted means +0.52 (−0.05 to 1.09) vs −0.41 (−0.97 to 0.16) ng/mL, p=0.031 for PIIINP and +4.54(−1.77 to 10.9) vs −6.36 (−12.5 to −0.21) ng/mL, p=0.023 for PICP). For the within-person analysis (n=173), spironolactone treatment was also associated with a reduction in PICP (beta estimate=−11.82(−17.53 to −6.10) ng/mL, p<0.001) but not in PIIINP levels.Conclusions Treatment with spironolactone was associated with a reduction in serum biomarkers of collagen synthesis independently of blood pressure in patients with hypertension, suggesting that spironolactone might exert favourable effects on myocardial collagen synthesis and fibrosis. Whether this effect might contribute to slowing the progression to heart failure is worth investigating.