[Acquired renal cystic disease in uremia: a prevalence survey]

The acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK) occurs in uremic patients before and during dialysis treatment. It has been defined as a disease with multiple acquired cystic lesions in patients with advanced renal failure. We evaluated its prevalence in a group of 94 uremic patients employing ultrasonographic examinations. Eighteen patients were not on dialysis treatment (group I) and 76 patients were undergoing hemodialytic treatment (group II). The prevalence of ACDK in groups I and II was 16.7% and 39.5% respectively. There is a noteworthy progression in the prevalence of the disease as the patients are kept alive by dialysis treatment. Primary renal disease, age and sex were not important factors in the disease's prevalence.