[Quality of life in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease]

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an inherited disease that usually occurs in adulthood. The majority of affected patients will develop renal complications related to cysts during their life, but may sometimes also develop severe extrarenal complications. The aim of this study is to review quantitative and qualitative results of researches that have investigated quality of life of patients suffering ADPKD. The results obtained with health-relative quality of life scales are contradictory and lack of sensibility according to the special features of ADPKD, for psychological impact for instance. Quality of life is decreased according to the quality of life scales specific to the ADPKD and qualitative studies from the early stages of the kidney failure with respect to physical (pain) and psychological impact of the disease. Untreated anxiety and depression are diagnosed for a significant part of patients. Uncertainty of prognosis, genetic guilt, precariousness of parental future, feelings of powerlessness and hopelessness are responsible at least in part of these disorders. According to the patients, pain remains underestimated by physicians and treatments are considered as insufficiently effective.