Relationship between renal size and blood pressure profile in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease without renal failure

Abstract

Enlargement of renal size plays an important role in the development of hypertension in patients with autosomic dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) and normal renal function. A 24h blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) and a renal echography have been performed in 37 patients with ADPKD and estimated glomerular filtration rate > 60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) to study the relationship between renal size and an altered blood pressure profile in prehypertension stages. 13 patients had normal blood pressure, 11 were diagnosed of masked hypertension, 4 had white coat hypertension and 9 had hypertension. We have found in the normotensive group with a dipper blood pressure profile a positive and statistically significant relationship between renal size and diastolic blood pressure variability. ABPM helps to make an early diagnosis of hypertension and to identify those patients with masked hypertension. This study suggests a relationship between renal size and a blood pressure profile linked to a major cardiovascular risk in normotensive patients with ADPKD.