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[Polycystic kidney. Clinical and familial aspects. Apropos of 29 cases]
Insights
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a rare hereditary condition in Africa. This study details 29 cases, highlighting frequent infectious complications and varied clinical presentations, including asymptomatic individuals.
Area of Science:
- Nephrology
- Genetics
- Internal Medicine
Context:
- Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a rare hereditary kidney disorder, infrequently documented in African populations.
- This study investigates PKD cases managed within an Internal Medicine Service over seven years.
Purpose:
- To describe the clinical characteristics, diagnostic approaches, and complications of PKD in an African cohort.
- To assess the prevalence and nature of infectious manifestations and familial inheritance patterns.
Summary:
- Nineteen cases of PKD were observed clinically, with an additional ten identified through family screening and ultrasound.
- The age range of patients was 28 to 77 years, with four pediatric cases identified.
- Infectious complications, affecting urinary tracts or cysts, were most common (37%), followed by asymptomatic cases or those with lumbar pain and hematuria.
Impact:
- This research sheds light on the underreported incidence and specific clinical spectrum of PKD in Africa.
- Findings emphasize the importance of family investigations and early diagnosis for managing PKD complications in diverse populations.
- Highlights the significant burden of infectious complications in African PKD patients.
Abstract:
The polycystic kidney disease is a hereditary malformation seldom described in Africa. Nineteen cases among 6 men and 13 women were seen in the internal Medicine Service in seven years. The range of age was 28 to 77 years. Ten other patients (of whom four were less than 15 years old were discovered via systematic family investigations and confirmed by ultra sound. The diagnosis was based essentially on consistent clinical signs and the presence of at least 5 cysts in each kidney. Infectious manifestations were the most frequent, presented in 37% of the cases. These acute infections can affect either the urinary ducts or a hepatic or renal cyst. The family investigations established that a third of the subjects examined were asymptomatic or had lumbar pain and hematuria never associated with their underlying cause.