Renal vascular resistance in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Evaluation with color Doppler ultrasound.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of color duplex Doppler ultrasonography in the assessment of renal vascular resistance (RVR) by measuring resistive indices (RIs) and pulsatility indices (PIs) in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), and to correlate the measured values with renal function and the presence of arterial hypertension.


METHODS
In 42 patients with ADPKD and 65 control subjects, RIs and PIs were measured by means of color duplex Doppler sonography and correlated with clinical and laboratory findings and with morphological abnormalities at B-mode ultrasonography.


RESULTS
Mean RI in the control subjects was 0.59 +/- 0.03 (+/-SD) and in the patients 0.71 +/- 0.11, (p < 0.01). Mean PI in the controls was 1.00 +/- 0.11 and in the patients 1.69 +/- 0.21, (p < 0.01). Elevated RIs and PIs heralded a progression of ADPKD. Doppler indices correlated significantly with renal function tests and morphological changes in the affected kidneys at ultrasound. Significantly higher RIs (p < 0.01) and PIs (p < 0.04) were measured in hypertensive ADPKD patients as compared to normotensive patients. Correlation of patient age and Doppler indices did not reach statistical significance.


CONCLUSIONS
Doppler indices do reflect the increased RVR in patients with ADPKD and they correlate with renal function disturbance, with the development of systemic arterial hypertension, and with ultrasonographic abnormality of the kidney in these subjects.
Brkljacic
B
B
Clinical Department of Radiology, University Hospital Merkur, University of Zagreb Medical School, Croatia.
Sabljar-Matovinovic
M
M
Putarek
K
K
Soldo
D
D
Morovic-Vergles
J
J
Hauser
M
M
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006977:Hypertension, Renal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D007668:Kidney / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016891:Polycystic Kidney, Autosomal Dominant / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011673:Pulsatile Flow; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014655:Vascular Resistance