Establishment and Optimization of Adrenal Vein Sampling (AVS) for Advancing the Diagnosis and Treatment of Primary Aldosteronism (PA) to an Internationally Leading Level
In China, approximately 30 million individuals suffer from primary aldosteronism (PA), a condition associated with significant health risks but a low diagnostic rate. Adrenal vein sampling (AVS) is the key method for the subtyping diagnosis of PA. The refined AVS technique in our institution has achieved breakthroughs in several aspects, including methods, timing, and interpretation of AVS results. The rate of successful cannulation has increased from 67.3% to over 90%, while rate of adverse events has reduced to 3.8%. These advancements have enhanced the accuracy of PA subtyping diagnosis and enabled more targeted treatment strategies. The refined AVS has been performed in a leading number of cases nationwide. We have organized three training workshops and provided technical guidance to over 15 tertiary hospitals across the country, promoting the standardization of adrenal vein sampling procedures and improving the diagnosis and treatment of PA in China. We conducted a first randomized controlled trial using clinical outcomes as the primary endpoint based on this technique, addressing international controversies regarding AVS procedural selection. The research was published in JAMA Network Open (IF=10.5, Q1). Additionally, our center leaded the writing of “Expert consensus on the operation specifications and result interpretation of adrenal vein sampling (2025)”, facilitating the multi-center implementation of this technique and enhancing both national and international influence.