Diverticulitis and polycystic kidney disease

E D Lederman1, G McCoy, D J Conti

  • 1Division of General Surgery, Albany Medical College, New York 12208, USA.

The American Surgeon
|March 1, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Patients with adult polycystic kidney disease (PKD) have a significantly higher risk of developing diverticulitis. This condition is often severe, requiring surgery in half of affected PKD patients.

Area of Science:

  • Nephrology
  • Gastroenterology
  • Transplantation

Background:

  • Adult polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is associated with an increased incidence of complicated diverticulitis post-renal transplantation.
  • The extrarenal manifestations of PKD require further investigation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the risk and severity of diverticulitis in patients with advanced polycystic kidney disease (PKD).

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 184 end-stage renal failure patients (59 PKD, 125 non-PKD controls) from January 1985 to May 1997.
  • Comparison of diverticulitis incidence and severity between PKD and non-PKD cohorts.

Main Results:

  • 20% of PKD patients had a history of active diverticulitis, compared to 3% in the non-PKD control group (P = 0.0003).
  • Diverticulitis in PKD patients was frequently severe, with 50% requiring surgical intervention.

Conclusions:

  • Patients with end-stage renal disease due to PKD have a significantly higher rate of diverticulitis.
  • Diverticular disease may represent an extrarenal manifestation of polycystic kidney disease.

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