RISK OF PROGRESSION
"Why is kidney size important for predicting the rate of disease progression?"
"Why is kidney size important for predicting the rate of disease progression?"
Kidney size is a predictor for faster disease progression for ADPKD
A normal kidney weighs about a third of a pound. In ADPKD, because of the cysts, affected kidneys can grow to weigh many pounds. This increase in total kidney volume, or TKV, can be up to 4 times that of normal kidneys. As cysts grow, the kidneys continue to get bigger, and the damage continues to get worse. People with bigger kidneys are more likely to experience more rapid loss of kidney function than people with smaller kidneys.
Your eGFR may remain stable while your kidneys are growing
Kidney function (eGFR)
Kidney size
(total kidney
volume)
Slide the green dot above to see the growth of kidney size over time.
"How do I know if I’m at high risk of
faster disease progression?"
You may be at higher risk for faster disease progression if you:
Experience a fast drop in eGFR
Have a high total kidney volume (kidneys that are larger than normal for a person with ADPKD)
Have certain types of gene mutations
Have a family history of kidney failure, such as the need for dialysis or kidney transplant, before age 58
Have high blood pressure before age 35
Have blood in urine before age 35
Are overweight (BMI ≥25 kg/m2)
Have protein and albumin in urine (proteinuria and albuminuria)
Important facts to know about ADPKD progression and race:
- Black patients may be at higher risk for how quickly ADPKD progresses over time
- These higher risk patients may reach end-stage kidney disease at a younger age
- Other factors, like high blood pressure, diabetes, or the sickle cell trait, may mask a potential ADPKD diagnosis in Black patients
That’s why it’s important to reach out to your doctor if you think you may have ADPKD and are at higher risk for faster disease progression.
Experience disease progression through the eyes of real people with ADPKD
ADPKD=autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; BMI=body mass index.
THINK YOU COULD BE AT RISK FOR faster DISEASE PROGRESSION?