Serum immunosuppressive acidic protein in haemodialysis patients with and without acquired cystic disease of the kidney

Serum levels of immunosuppressive acidic protein (IAP) were measured in 20 haemodialysis patients with acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK) and in 44 without it. Serum IAP levels in haemodialysis patients with and without ACDK were significantly elevated compared to that in controls. However, there was no considerable difference between haemodialysis patients with and without ACDK. A significant reduction in this marker was not found after dialysis treatment. This indicates that elevation of IAP may be related to an increased incidence of renal cell carcinoma in haemodialysis patients.     

Clinical evaluation of renal cell carcinoma and acquired cystic disease of the kidney in long-term dialysis patients

Long-term dialysis patients frequently develop acquired cystic disease of the kidneys (ACDK). One hundred and sixty-seven dialysis patients were classified into two groups according to the presence or absence of ACDK, and the two groups were compared with regard to the dialysis period, laboratory findings, and so forth. Among the 167 dialysis patients, 37.7% showed ACDK and had an average dialysis duration of 10.3 years, which was significantly longer than the 5.0 years for patients without ACDK. The proportion of patients with ACDK rose with increasing duration of dialysis; 64.6% of the patients on dialysis for more than 10 years had ACDK. The values of hemoglobin and hematocrit of patients with ACDK were significantly higher than those without ACDK. Of 12 dialysis patients who were operated upon because of suspected renal tumor, pathological examination confirmed renal cell carcinoma in 8 and adenoma in one. One of these patients had been treated with chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, and another had bilateral renal tumor. Among the 8 patients with renal cell carcinoma, ACDK was detected in 5 by means of CT and ultrasound tomography, and cystic changes were observed in two on light microscopic examination of the resected kidneys. Pathological examination of the non-tumorous renal tissues revealed hyperplastic or adenomatous changes in the cyst epithelium in 5 patients undergoing dialysis for more than 7.5 years. These changes were thought to be pre-neoplastic. The high incidence of ACDK and the development of renal tumors in long-term dialysis patients indicates the necessity of intensive monitoring.     

Comparative study of cystic variations of the kidneys in haemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis patients

In recent years, many complications of renal cell carcinoma accompanying the increase in the number of peritoneal dialysis cases have been studied more often. Clinicopathologically, we studied comparatively cystic changes of the kidney, considered to be a background factor of cancerous development in 69 patients on peritoneal dialysis without past history of haemodialysis and in 192 patients on long-term haemodialysis. From the results, differences with respect to the duration of dialysis until the development of cysts and primary diseases commonly associated with cysts were not found between the two groups. Moreover, in the extirpated kidneys examined for cancerous development, cysts were found in both the peritoneal dialysis and the haemodialysis cases, and proliferative changes were found in the cystic epithelium. A relationship between cystic and cancerous development in the peritoneal dialysis cases was strongly suggested by these findings. Therefore, it was considered that careful follow-up studies for complications such as renal cell carcinoma would be necessary in both the peritoneal dialysis and the haemodialysis cases.     

Uremic acquired renal cystic disease. Natural history and complications

Males on long-term dialysis tend to develop more severe forms of acquired cystic disease of the kidney than females. The severity of the disease is unaffected by therapeutic modality, either hemodialysis or CAPD, however, cystic transformation becomes less extensive after successful renal transplantation. The fundamental pathological change characteristic of acquired cystic disease is epithelial hyperplasia, with the uremic milieu and duration of uremia being the most important factors in its development. Renal cell carcinoma, the most important complication of acquired renal cystic disease, has a high prevalence and incidence, usually remains symptomless and sometimes reveals metastases. Therefore, many clinicians and investigators, but not all, accept the need for regular screening of all dialysis patients for the development of renal cell carcinoma. Major complications of acquired renal cystic disease, malignancy and retroperitoneal bleeding, will become increasingly important because of the growing number of patients on long-term dialysis.     

Ultrasonographic study on kidneys in patients with chronic renal failure. Part II. Acquired cystic disease of the kidneys

Ultrasonic examination of the kidney was performed on 280 patients undergoing chronic dialysis. Acquired cystic disease of the kidney (ACDK) was detected in 107 of 529 kidneys (20.2%). This paper presents an analysis of ultrasonotomograms of ACDK. Ultrasonic measurement of the size of ACDK was 72.5 +/- 15.2 mm in length and 41.7 +/- 9.8 mm in thickness. The size of ACDK was significantly greater than that of contracted kidneys by ultrasonographic diagnosis. With regard to sex distinction the length and thickness of ACDK were significantly greater in males than in females. As for laboratory data, patients with ACDK showed significantly higher values of red blood cell count, hematocrit and serum creatinine concentration compared with contracted kidneys. Prolongation of the dialysis peirod increased the incidence of ACDK. The size of ACDK showed a tendency to increase with duration of dialysis. However, no correlation was noted statistically between the incidence of ACDK and duration of dialysis and between the size of ACDK and duration of dialysis. There was a significantly lower incidence of ACDK in patients with diabetic nephropathy than those with chronic glomerulonephritis. A sonographic feature of ACDK is irregularity of the renal contour because of cystic transformation. Renal imaging, identification of the corticomedullary border, identification of the central echoes and increased parenchymal echogenicity were similar to other dialyzed kidneys. The main complications of ACDK are hemorrhage and tumor formation. We observed two retroperitoneal hematomas and one renal cell carcinoma developed within two years after this examination. The incidence of complications of ACDK was 5.1 per cent. We believe that patients with ACDK should be watched carefully by regular ultrasonic examination for early diagnosis and treatment of these complications.     

A study of the native kidneys in patients with chronic renal failure. Report 1: Morphological changes and occurrence of acquired cysts of the native kidneys in patients with chronic renal failure

As morphological changes of the native kidneys, the presence of acquired cysts, intra-renal calcification and renal tumor was investigated mainly by ultrasonography and computed tomography in 151 patients with chronic renal failure. 1) Among 140 uremic patients caused by medical diseases. 40 patients had simple cysts, and 37 had acquired cystic disease of the kidneys (ACDK). However 4, uremic patients caused by urological diseases were not seen to be with an acquired cysts. 2) The patients with ACDK were with significantly longer durations of dialysis therapy than those with simple cysts or no cysts. Furthermore, the patients with ACDK were younger than those of the other groups. 3) Intra-renal calcification was more frequently found in patients with cystic disease (simple cyst, ACDK and polycystic disease) than in those without cystic disease with statistic significance. 4) Native kidneys became larger after the occurrence of ACDK. 5) Three cases of renal tumor were found.     

Effect of treatment mode on the natural history of acquired cystic disease of the kidney in patients on renal replacement therapy.

The natural history of acquired cystic disease of the kidney has been investigated in a long-term follow-up study of patients on renal replacement therapy. A cohort of 145 end-stage renal failure patients was initially investigated with ultrasonography to determine the degree of cystic change. Seventy-three patients were available for follow up a minimum of 3 years later. The grade of cystic disease progressed in dialysis patients and progression was more marked in haemodialysis patients than patients maintained on CAPD. Patients with functioning renal transplants did not show progression of cystic change and in two patients regression was seen. Nine patients maintained on chronic dialysis at the time of initial ultrasound subsequently received renal grafts, and three of these patients had evidence of regression of cystic change on follow-up scanning. After 3 years follow-up a single haemodialysis patient had evidence of a solid lesion in a cystic kidney and this has not progressed during a further 12 months of follow-up. Acquired cystic disease of the kidney is a progressive disease in chronic dialysis patients. However, over a follow-up period of 3 years, patients with functioning renal grafts do not show similar progression. The incidence of solid renal tumours has been shown to be low.     

Acquired renal cystic disease: implications for the urologist

Acquired cystic kidney disease has become increasingly recognised as a significant risk in patients with end-stage renal disease, especially in those maintained on chronic haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. A review of the literature indicates that nearly 50% of patients on dialysis for more than 3 years develop renal cystic changes. The major complications of this condition are neoplasia and spontaneous renal haemorrhage. The risk of developing renal carcinoma has been estimated to be more than 30 times higher in dialysis patients with cystic changes than in the general population. Our experience with 5 patients is reported, including 3 with renal tumours and 1 with metastatic disease. Careful surveillance of dialysis patients using yearly ultrasonography and computed tomography is recommended. The evolving indications for radical nephrectomy in this disease are discussed.     

获得性肾囊性疾病合并肾癌11例临床分析

目的 探讨获得性肾囊性疾病(ACKD)合并肾癌的诊断治疗策略.方法 回顾性分析11例终末期肾衰竭、获得性肾囊肿合并肾癌患者的临床资料.男8例,女3例.平均年龄55(37～68)岁.行血液透析至发现肾脏病变时间平均为4.8(2.8～7.4)年.结果 11例均行肾癌根治术.术后病理报告:透明细胞癌3例,乳头状癌6例,嫌色细胞癌1例,乳头状腺瘤1例.病理分期T1a9例,T1b 2例.11例术后随访平均55(17～83)个月.1例术后24个月发现肺转移;1例单侧发病者术后22个月对侧复发,行肾癌根治术;1例死于心血管疾病;1例随访19个月后失访;无瘤生存7例.结论 ACKD与肾癌有较高的相关性.终末期肾衰竭患者透析前氮质血症时间较长或透析时间＞3年者,应排除ACKD.超声及CT检查对早期诊断存在价值.除关注ACKD恶性变倾向外,对长期肾衰竭患者的其他并发症如心脑血管疾病、糖尿病等也应足够重视并行积极治疗.

Abstract：

Objective To discuss the diagnosis and treatment of acquired cystic kidney disease complicated by kidney cancer. Methods Clinical data of 11 patients with acquired cystic kidney disease complicated by kidney cancer were analyzed retrospectively. Eight patients were male and three were female. The mean age was 55 years old (range 37 to 68). The time of hemodialysis ranged from 2.8 to 7. 4 years, mean 4. 8 years. Results Follow-up ranged from 17- 83 months, mean 55 months. One patient died of cardiovascular disease. Lung metastasis was detected in one patient two years after surgery. Seven patients survived free of tumor recurrence and there was no follow-up on one patient. Conclusions Increased incidence of cancer was observed in patients with end-stage renal disease who have undergone long-term dialysis. In particular, renal cell carcinoma (RCC) showed an excess incidence in ACKD patients. RCC showed an increased prevalence compared with the general population. Patients with predialysis azotemia or a dialysis duration of longer than 3 years should be screened for ACKD. Sonegraphy or CT scanning are useful for early diagnosis of ACKD. We should pay close attention to complications, including ACKD malignant tendency, in patients who have been taking long-term dialysis and positive therapy.     

Acquired renal cystic disease in end-stage renal disease: an autopsy study of 155 cases

Autopsy reports on 155 successive end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients and 147 control patients without ESRD, matched for age, race and gender, were collected. Cystic transformation of the kidneys was noted in 58% of the ESRD patients and 13.6% of the control patients. There were 25 ESRD patients with renal adenoma and 3 with renal cell carcinoma. The single best predictor of cystic transformation or tumorous degeneration was patient's age. A statistically significant association between cystic transformation and gender, as well as the cause of ESRD, was also found. In contrast to previous reports we were unable to document a strong association between the incidence of either cystic transformation or tumorous degeneration with the duration of dialysis, nor did these two parameters correlate with mode of dialysis. We suggest that cystic transformation of the kidneys in ESRD is related to age and renal failure per se, is not strongly associated with duration of dialysis and is independent of mode of dialysis. Concomitant tumorous degeneration was frequent, but this was usually an incidental autopsy finding. Renal malignancy was uncommon and metastases were absent.     

Ten-year prospective study on the development of renal cell carcinoma in dialysis patients

A prospective study was undertaken to investigate the development of renal cell carcinoma in dialysis patients. Three renal cell carcinomas were detected among 96 hemodialysis patients in 1979, and screening by computed tomographic (CT) scan was continued yearly until 1989. During this 10-year period, one renal cell carcinoma was found in the second year and another in the ninth year. Autopsy performed on seven of 19 patients who died showed one case of small clear cell carcinoma accompanying acquired cystic disease. In 33 males, kidneys were found to have enlarged 2.7 +/- 1.7 times over the 10-year follow-up due to acquired cysts, while no change in kidney volume was noted in 24 females. Native kidneys in nine of 12 patients who maintained functioning grafts were reduced in size. The patient with the largest kidney enlargement (11.5 times) died from retroperitoneal bleeding in 1989. These prospective study results suggest that both the incidence and prevalence of renal cell carcinoma in dialysis patients is high. Furthermore, major complications of acquired renal cystic disease seem to occur predominantly in males.     

Patients surviving more than 10 years on haemodialysis. The natural history of the complications of treatment

Background: The purpose of this survey was to describe the natural history of complications in 52 long-surviving haemodialysis patients to obtain a clearer picture of the impact these patients have on the dialysis population. This is important as they are often no longer suitable for transplantation and therefore are destined to remain on dialysis for the rest of their lives. Methods: The patients who survived for more than 10 years on haemodialysis alone were studied. Information was obtained from patients' records and from the renal unit computer. Results: Mean age at start of dialysis was 43 years and mean duration of HD 14.5 years. Renal failure was most commonly due to polycystic kidney disease or glomerulonephritis. Sixty-two percent of patients developed cardiovascular disease, 78% complained of joint pains, 72% had a parathyroidectomy, and 50% developed carpal-tunnel syndrome. Two hundred and forty-five episodes of infection were recorded, 41% related to vascular access acquired in hospital or on immunosuppression. Only three infections occurred which could be described as opportunistic. Twelve patients were hepatitis C positive. In the 37 patients who have died, cardiovascular disease was the most common cause of death. Compared to other patients who started on dialysis before 1986 but who had a successful transplant the survival of patients on haemodialysis is much worse. Conclusion: Long-term survival on renal replacement therapy is dependent on successful transplantation. Complications, morbidity, and mortality are high after 10 years of dialysis.     

2 cases of renal cell carcinoma on long-term hemodialysis

Two cases of renal cell carcinoma on maintenance dialysis for chronic renal insufficiency are reported. The first case, a 40-year-old man, complained of hematuria after 9.3 years of dialysis. Nephrectomy was done and small renal cell carcinoma with acquired cystic disease of the kidney were observed. The second case, a 48-year-old man, was found to have renal cell carcinoma after 2.5 years of dialysis by means of routine examination without any symptoms. The kidney showed carcinoma with small cystic areas and four adenomas. Usefulness of routine examination with echogram is stressed for management of hemodialysis.     

Renal cell carcinoma co-existent with other renal disease: clinico-pathological features in pre-dialysis patients and those receiving dialysis or renal transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Patients on chronic dialysis are prone to developing acquired cystic kidney disease (ACKD), which may lead to the development of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). The risk factors for the development of RCC so far have not been determined in pre-dialysis patients with co-existent renal disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinico-pathological features of RCC in pre-dialysis patients with associated renal diseases or in those undergoing chronic dialysis and renal transplantation. METHODS: We studied 32 kidneys from 31 patients with RCC and associated renal diseases. Of those, 18 kidneys were from 17 patients not on renal replacement therapy (RRT) when diagnosed with RCC; 14 patients received dialysis or dialysis followed by renal transplantation. Several clinico-pathological features were analysed and compared between the two groups. RESULTS: Overall, there was a preponderance of males (75%); nephrosclerosis was the predominant co-existent disease (31%). The median intervals from renal disease to RCC in the dialysis and transplanted groups were significantly longer than in the pre-dialysis group (15.8+/-1.1 vs 2.4+/-0.7 years, P<0.0001). In contrast to pre-dialysis RCC, the dialysis and transplant RCC groups had greater frequency of ACKD (100 vs 28%, P<0.0001), papillary type RCC (43 vs 11%, P<0.05) and multifocal tumours (43 vs 5%, P<0.05). At the end of the study, 71% of dialysis and transplanted patients and 72% of pre-dialysis patients were alive. CONCLUSIONS: ACKD develops in dialysis patients, as it does in those with renal disease prior to RRT. The duration of renal disease, rather than the dialysis procedure itself, appears to be the main determinant of ACKD and RCC. The RCC occurring in patients with ACKD and prolonged RRT is more frequently of the papillary type and multifocal than the RCC occurring in patients with no or few acquired cysts and a short history of renal disease. Long-term outcomes did not differ between the two groups.     

Ultrasonographic study on kidneys in patients with chronic renal failure. Part I. Ultrasonic measurement of renal size and analysis of renal ultrasonotomograms

Ultrasonograms of 546 kidneys were obtained in 280 patients undergoing chronic dialysis. Dialysed kidneys could be detected in 529 of the 546 kidneys (96.9%) by ultrasonic examination. The ultrasonic diagnoses on dialysed kidneys were contracted kidney in 313 kidneys (59.2%) and acquired cystic disease of the kidney in 107 kidneys (20.2%). Ultrasonic measurement of the size of kidney (length and thickness) revealed that the kidneys in patients with chronic renal failure were much smaller than normal ones. But the kidneys in patients undergoing dialysis for more than 8 years gradually increased in size with incidence of acquired renal cysts. The kidneys in patients with diabetic nephropathy were greater in length and thickness than those with chronic glomerulonephritis. Sonographic features of dialysed kidneys were unclear renal imaging, unidentified central echoes, cortico-medulla + border and increased parenchymal echogenicity. Irregularity of the renal contour had a tendency to increase in number with incidence of cysts in long-term dialysis patients. The ultrasonograms of the kidneys with diabetic nephropathy showed fewer changes than normal ones. No major complication of the kidney was detected in the present study. However, two retroperitoneal hematomas and one renal cell carcinoma developed within two years after this examination. We believe that regular screening of the kidneys by ultrasonic examination is mandatory in patients on chronic dialysis for early diagnosis and treatment of these complications.     

Acquired Cystic Disease of the Kidney in Patients with End-Stage Chronic Renal Failure: A Study of Prevalence and Aetiology

Renal ultrasound scanning was performed in 100 patients withend-stage renal failure treated by both haemodialysis and continuousambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Each kidney was assessedfor the presence of acquired cystic disease and solid lesions.The appearances were divided into five grades from grade 0 (nocysts detected) to grade 4 (>15 cysts per kidney). Otherintra-abdominal organs were also scanned for the presence ofcysts. The findings were then correlated with possible aetiologicalfactors, including the type of dialysis used. Sixty-three percent of all the patients had acquired cysticdisease of the kidney (ACDK). No solid lesions were found andno cysts were detectable in other organs. The presence and gradeof ACDK did not correlate with the age or sex of the patient,the nature of the underlying renal disease, or the durationof chronic renal failure. There was a significant correlationbetween the grade of ACDK and the duration of both haemodialysis(P<0.001) and CAPD (P<0.01). The presence of residualrenal function did not influence the development of cysts. ACDKhad no effect on haemoglobin or other laboratory parametersmeasured.     

Acquired cystic disease of the kidneys and renal cell carcinoma in chronic renal insufficiency without dialysis treatment

We report 3 cases of acquired cystic disease of the kidneys with associated renal carcinoma in 2 of the cases. In all 3 cases, the patients had chronic renal insufficiency due to hypertension but had never required dialysis. Review of 176 reported cases of acquired cystic disease of the kidneys and renal tumors disclosed that 18 patients (including 1 previously reported by us) had never received dialysis treatment. These cases support the hypothesis that acquired cystic disease of the kidney is not restricted to patients treated with maintenance dialysis. Among the 18 patients, hypertension was the most common underlying cause of renal failure. Patients with chronic renal failure due to or associated with severe hypertension should be monitored carefully for the development of both renal cysts and tumors even though they have not started on chronic dialysis.     

Renal cell carcinoma in dialysis patients: A single center experience

AIM: Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is a life-threatening complication of end-stage renal disease with an unclear pathogenesis. We evaluated RCC developing in patients undergoing dialysis. METHODS: In 2624 patients undergoing hemodialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis at our hospital between July 1993 and March 2004, we performed annual screening for RCC using abdominal computed tomography and ultrasonography. Patients diagnosed with RCC underwent radical nephrectomy as well as clinical and pathologic evaluation. RESULTS: RCC was detected in 44 patients (1.68%; 31 males and 13 females). The age of RCC patients was 55.5 +/- 11.1 years. Dialysis duration before RCC diagnosis was 11.2 +/- 7.2 years. Most RCC were early stage and low stage by TNM classification, 43 patients had N0M0 RCC, whereas one had N1M0. Tumor size was 2.9 +/- 1.9 cm. The predominant histological type of RCC was common or conventional cell-type carcinoma (clear cell carcinoma and granular cell carcinoma). Of patients, 5(11.4%) had bilateral RCC, and satellite tumor lesions in RCC were detected in 13 (29.5%). In 36 patients (81.8%) RCC was accompanied by acquired cystic disease of the kidney. These patients had longer dialysis durations (P = 0.01) and smaller tumors (P = 0.048). RCC metastasized postoperatively in 4 patients (9.1%), while one (2.3%) died of cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Our dialysis patients showed a higher incidence of RCC than the general population. Prognosis was favorable because tumors were detected by screening when they were small. Therefore, periodical screening for RCC seems very important in dialysis patients.     

Atherosclerosis in patients with analgesic nephropathy treated with haemodialysis

SUMMARY: Accelerated atherosclerosis was reported to be associated with chronic analgesic consumption, but most studies were retrospective, and individual findings have almost never been controlled with regard to other atherosclerotic risk factors. Ten haemodialysis patients with analgesic nephropathy (group I) and 19 haemodialysis patients where renal failure was not caused by analgesic nephropathy (group II) were included in the study. All patients were female without diabetes. Using B-mode ultrasonography, we compared intima-media thickness (IMT) in the carotid arteries and plaque occurrence, and their thickness in group I with that in group II. the possible differences in atherosclerotic risk factors in both groups were also investigated. In group I, the average age was 60.2 years, and the average dialysis treatment was 55.7 months. In group II, the average age was 54.6 years, and the average duration of dialysis treatment was 50.4 months. We found no statistically significant difference in the age and duration of dialysis treatment between groups I and II. the IMT values of the carotid arteries (0.97 vs 0.78 mm; P = 0.027) were significantly higher in group I. More patients had plaques in group I (90 vs 57.9%), and the number of plaques ( P = 0.037) and their thickness ( P = 0.043) were significantly higher in this group. There was no statistically significant difference in the atherosclerotic risk factors between groups I and II. the results indicate that patients with analgesic nephropathy treated with haemodialysis showed advanced atherosclerosis compared with other haemodialysis patients, despite no difference being found in the atherosclerotic risk factors between these patients.     

Prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection and related risk factors among Iranian haemodialysis patients

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is common among patients undergoing haemodialysis, and liver disease is an important cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Management of HCV-related liver disease is a major health concern in patients with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) undergoing haemodialysis. To investigate the prevalence of HCV infection in patients on haemodialysis and its associated risk factors, we conducted a prospective case series study of 838 patients on haemodialysis in Tehran, Iran. Patients were selected randomly (cluster sampling) and all were screened for anti-HCV antibodies, using ELISA 3rd generation and confirmed by using RIBA 2nd generation. We found that 111 patients (13.2%) were infected. By applying univariate analysis, longer duration on haemodialysis (P = 0.000), more weekly dialysis sessions (P = 0.03), history of blood transfusion (P = 0.03) and history of previous renal transplantation (P = 0.01) were found to be associated with a higher rate of HCV infection. Multivariate analysis revealed that only length of time on dialysis (P = 0.000) and history of blood transfusion (P = 0.02) were significantly associated with HCV infection. The more the units transfused, the higher the rate of HCV infection. Our results suggest that early transplantation and avoidance of blood transfusion, as much as possible, are the two most important practical interventions to reduce the HCV exposure rate in our patients on haemodialysis.