Angiotensin Receptor Blockade and Arterial Compliance in Chronic Kidney Disease: A Pilot Study

Background: Almost 20 million people in the US have chronic kidney disease (CKD). Cardiovascular disease and arterial wall abnormalities are common in this population. Because angiotensin II may have adverse effects on the arterial wall, we hypothesized that an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) would improve arterial compliance as compared with placebo in subjects with CKD. Methods: We performed a double-blinded, placebo-controlled pilot study in which 25 subjects with stages 2 or 3 CKD and proteinuria