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HypertensionMarch 2022

What Researchers Found Disclosing APOL1 Genetic Risk in Black Patients With Hypertension

This 2,050-adult trial tested whether sharing APOL1 kidney-risk gene results helped Black patients with high blood pressure. Patients who learned they had high-risk genotypes had bigger drops in blood pressure and more kidney screening at 3 and 12 months.

What the trial was testing

The trial enrolled 2,052 patients with hypertension. The study was sponsored by Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and tracked outcomes across the full group of patients who matched the trial's eligibility profile.

Researchers followed patients through treatment and into recovery, tracking the outcomes that mattered most for the disease being studied.

What the results showed

6 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure in high-risk APOL1 carriers.

JAMA Network Open · 2022 · NCT02234063

These findings — that in systolic blood pressure for Black hypertensive patients with high-risk APOL1 genes — were published in the JAMA Network Open and represent the headline result of the study.

Researchers tracked outcomes across 2,052 patients enrolled in the trial. The result was consistent enough across the group that the team felt confident reporting it.

What this means for patients

For patients with hypertension, this result changes the calculus on what to ask their care team about. Whether it changes day-to-day care depends on factors like disease subtype, prior treatments, and where the patient is in their care journey.

What you can do now

APOL1 genetic testing is increasingly available through commercial labs and academic centers, and some kidney transplant programs already use it. Ask your kidney specialist or primary care doctor about testing if you have African ancestry, hypertension, or family history of kidney failure.

Eligibility for the treatments mentioned above depends on specific test results and clinical history. Bring this summary, the trial name, and your most recent labs or pathology report to your next visit.