Resource Report

URL: http://archives.niddk.nih.gov/patient/aask/aask.aspx

Proper Citation: AASK Clinical Trial and Cohort Study (RRID:SCR_006985)

Description: Clinical trial investigating whether a specific class of antihypertensive drugs (beta-adrenergic blockers, calcium channel blockers, or angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors) and/or the level of blood pressure would influence progression of hypertensive kidney disease in African Americans. The initiative consisting of 21 clinical centers and a data-coordinating center is followed by a Continuation of AASK Cohort Study to investigate the environmental, socio-economic, genetic, physiologic, and other co-morbid factors that influence progression of kidney disease in a well-characterized cohort of African Americans with hypertensive kidney disease. Only patients who were previously in the randomized trial are eligible for the cohort study. A significant discovery was made in the treatment strategy for slowing kidney disease caused by hypertension. Angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, compared with calcium channel blockers, were found to slow kidney disease progression by 36 percent, and they drastically reduced the risk of kidney failure by 48 percent in patients who had at least one gram of protein in the urine, a sign of kidney failure. ACE inhibitors have been the preferred treatment for hypertension caused by diabetes since 1994; however, calcium channel blockers have been particularly effective in controlling blood pressure in African Americans. The AASK study now recommends ACE inhibitors to protect the kidneys from the damaging effects of hypertension. The Continuation of AASK Cohort Study will be followed at the clinical centers. The patients will be provided with the usual clinical care given to all such patients at the respective centers. Baseline demographic information, selected laboratory tests, and other studies are being obtained at the initiation of the Continuation Study. The patients will be seen quarterly at the centers, and some selected studies done at these visits. Samples will be obtained and stored for additional studies and analyses at a later date.

Abbreviations: AASK Cohort Study

Synonyms: African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension (AASK) Clinical Trial and Cohort Study, African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension Clinical Trial and Cohort Study, Continuation of AASK Cohort Study, African American Study of Kidney Disease and Hypertension

Resource Type: clinical trial, topical portal, data or information resource, research forum portal, resource, portal, disease-related portal

Keywords: african american, blood pressure, beta-adrenergic blocker, calcium channel blocker, angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor, environment, socio-economic, genetic, physiology, co-morbid factor, gene, adult human, antihypertensive drug, clinical, treatment, longitudinal, demographics, laboratory test, biospecimen, biomaterial supply resource