ABSTRACT
Acquired cystic kidney disease [ACKD] occurs in patients with prolonged uremia, and early detection is important, because clinically significant complications, especially renal cell carcinoma, are associated with ACKD. In a cross-sectional study, we evaluated our patients on hemodialysis, in Ahvaz, Iran, using ultrasonography. The criteria for the diagnosis of ACKD were the presence of at least 4 bilateral renal cysts in patients with noncystic primary kidney diseases as the leading cause of kidney failure. A total of 148 patients [95 men and 53 women] were included in the study. The prevalence of ACKD was 20.3% [18.9% in men and 22.6% in women]. The mean age in patients with and without ACKD was 60.6 +/- 16.8 years and 53.6 +/- 14.9 years, and the mean hemodialysis duration was 44.2 +/- 18.7 months and 34.3 +/- 23.5 months, respectively. There were no significant differences in the frequency of ACKD in the men and the women [P = .59] and in the etiology of end-stage renal disease [P = .64]. It was significantly more likely to see ACKD in patients with a history of 3 years or longer being on hemodialysis than in those with a shorter dialysis duration [P = .001]. Acquired cystic kidney disease is common in patients on hemodialysis, and we suggest that renal ultrasonography be performed in patients with 3 years or more history of being on renal replacement therapy