The effect of renal transplantation on acquired cystic disease of the kidney in patients who have been on hemodialysis for more than 5 years was examined in 7 cases by computer-assisted tomography (CT scan). Almost all acquired cysts disappeared, and the size of the original kidneys decreased remarkably in 2 cases 8–10 months after transplantation. 3 other patients, in whom CT scans were performed only after transplantation, showed contracted scarred kidneys with few or no cysts. The involution of acquired cysts was incomplete in 1 case, in whom the cysts persisted for 3 years and 2 months, despite normal renal function. The last case, who was off hemodialysis only for 4 months, exhibited enlargement of the original kidneys and an increase in the number of cysts. These results suggest that a significant number of acquired renal cysts in dialyzed patients with end-stage kidney disease regress rapidly after successful renal transplantation, but this is not always so.
Acquired cystic disease of the kidney in chronic glomerulonephritic patients who had been on hemodialysis more than 3 years (4.5 ± 1.2 years at the base line examination), were followed for 3.6 ± 0.5 years (at the follow-up examination) by computed tomography (CT scan). The renal volume in the 25 male patients was significantly greater at the follow-up examination than at the base line examination. On the other hand, the renal volume in the 12 female patients was similar on both examinations. The enlargement of kidney volume more than twofold during the follow-up was seen in 9 of 25 male and none of 12 female patients. The grade of cystic transformation was increased in male patients during the follow-up period. These results indicate that sex-related endogenous substances might play a role in the pathogenesis of acquired cystic disease.
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