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[Retinal function after malignant hypertension in patients with transplanted kidneys]
E Dróbecka-Brydakowa1, A Moszczynska-Kowalska, Z Rancewicz
1Kliniki Okulistycznej, Warszawa, Poland.
Klinika Oczna
|April 1, 1991
Summary
Malignant hypertension in kidney transplant patients can cause lasting vision damage. Even with normalized blood pressure, retinal function may not fully recover, impacting visual acuity.
Area of Science:
- Ophthalmology
- Nephrology
- Cardiology
Context:
- Malignant hypertension poses significant risks to organ health, including the eyes.
- Kidney transplantation is a treatment for end-stage renal disease, but underlying conditions like hypertension persist.
- Post-transplant monitoring is crucial for managing complications.
Purpose:
- To assess the long-term ophthalmological outcomes in kidney transplant recipients with a history of malignant hypertension.
- To evaluate the reversibility of fundus and electroretinogram (ERG) changes after transplantation and blood pressure normalization.
Summary:
- Ophthalmological examinations were performed on 42 kidney transplant patients (16-45 years) with pre-transplant malignant hypertension.
- Initial findings included varied fundus pathologies (grades I-IV), reduced visual acuity in 17, and abnormal ERG in 18 patients.
- Follow-up in 19 patients (1-5 years post-transplant) revealed regression of fundus changes in only 7; ERG abnormalities persisted, indicating permanent retinal damage despite normalized blood pressure.
Impact:
- Highlights the potential for irreversible retinal damage from malignant hypertension, even after successful kidney transplantation.
- Underscores the importance of comprehensive ophthalmological monitoring in transplant patients with a history of severe hypertension.
- Suggests that normalization of arterial pressure may not fully restore retinal function compromised by malignant hypertension.