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LOS ANGELES, April 26-Comedian George Lopez is recuperating from transplant surgery after receiving a kidney donated by his wife.

A spokesperson for Lopez, who stars in the ABC sitcom "George Lopez," said the operation took place at a Los Angeles hospital last week. The spokesperson said Lopez has a genetic disorder that caused kidney failure.

While the exact nature of Lopez' illness was not disclosed, polycystic kidney disease is the most common genetic disorder that causes kidney failure. The disease is characterized by the growth of numerous fluid-filled cysts in the kidneys, which slowly replace much of the mass of the kidneys. Eventually there may be sufficient loss of kidney function so that the kidneys fail.

About one-half of those with the major type of polycystic kidney disease progress to kidney failure, requiring dialysis or kidney transplant, which makes it the fourth leading cause of end stage renal disease.

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDKD) about 500,000 Americans have polycystic kidney disease. About 90% of those cases are autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease in which symptoms usually develop between the ages of 30 and 40. Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease is a rarer form with symptom onset during gestation.

The most common symptoms of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease are pain in the back and the sides (between the ribs and hips), and headaches. The dull pain can be temporary or persistent, mild or severe.

Additional symptoms include:

• Urinary tract infections

• Hematuria

• Liver and pancreatic cysts

• Abnormalities in the heart valves

• Hypertension

• Renal calculi

• Aneurysms

• Diverticulosis

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is usually diagnosed by the finding of multiple renal cysts on imaging: ultrasound, MRI or CT. To minimize false negative and false positive results due to multiple simple cysts, the criteria which are used for diagnosis are typically modified for age as follows:

• In patients younger than 30 years of age, at least two cysts (unilateral or bilateral).

• In patients aged 30 to 59, at least two cysts in each kidney.

• In patients over age 60, four or more cysts in each kidney.

The diagnosis is strengthened by a family history of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and the presence of cysts in other organs.

Genetic tests can also confirm mutations in the PKD1 and PKD2 genes. Although this test can detect the presence of the autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease mutations before cysts develop, its usefulness is limited by two factors; it cannot predict the onset or ultimate severity of the disease and no absolute cure is available to prevent the onset of the disease. However, disease progression may be slowed by blood pressure control.

As the disease progresses surgery to remove fluid from cysts can relieve pain in the back and flanks-but this relief is temporary and does not slow disease progression.

Since patients with polycystic kidney disease have an increased risk of aneurysms, patients should be advised to consult a physician before using even over-the-counter headache remedies.

Polycystic kidney disease patients also have an increased risk for urinary tract infections (UTI), which, if untreated, may infect the cysts in the kidneys, thus UTIs require prompt antibiotic treatment.

Additional information for patients can be found at

  PKD Foundation
  9221 Ward Parkway, Suite 400
  Kansas City, MO 64114-3367
  Telephone — 800-PKD-CURE, 816-931-2600
  E-mail — pkdcure@pkdcure.org
  Website —

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