Cooper EL, et al. - Researchers examined patients enrolled in the medical therapy-only arm of the CORAL (Cardiovascular Outcomes With Renal Artery Lesions) study to better understand the causes and results of early rapid declines of kidney function in medically managed patients with atherosclerotic renal artery stenosis. A ≥30% decrease in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) from baseline to either 3 months, 6 months, or both defined a rapid decline (RD) in eGFR. An early RD was reported in relation to baseline log cystatin C, age, and Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration creatinine eGFR. In patients with renal artery stenosis, the occurrence of early rapid declines in kidney function may be seen when medical therapy is started, and clinical outcomes of these patients were similar to those without such a decline when medical therapy only was continued.