Background: The association between coronary and/or other arterial aneurysms and polycystic kidney disease is well known. While myocardial infarction is a possible complication of atheroscletotic coronary aneurysms, it is reasonable to assume that CA[1] in patients with PKD[2] may make them prone them for a similar complication.
Objective: To evaluate the possible occurrence of CA and MI[3] in first relatives of a patient with PKD, CA and MI.
Patients: We studied 12 family members: 2 parents, 8 sisters and 2 brothers of a young woman who was incidentally diagnosed as having a MI, while her mother was known to have PKD. We used electrocardiogram, thallium-image test, and transthoracic echocardiography to determine MI, ultrasonography of the kidney to determine PKD, and coronary angiography and ventriculography to determine CA and MI, respectively.
Results: PKD was detected in seven family members, while CA and MI were found in five and three of them, respectively.
Conclusions: In a family with PKD we detected a high prevalence of CA, with MI as a complication of the latter.
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[1] CA = coronary aneurysms
[2] PKD = polcystic kidney disease
[3] MI = myocardial infarction