Patient perspectives on ADPKD

Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is the most common inherited kidney disease. It has been associated with a significant physical and psychological burden, leading to a reduced quality of life. The purpose of this literature review is to summarize the patient perspective on ADPKD based on the current published literature. A systematic literature review was conducted in accordance with Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Publications reporting a patient or caregiver/relative perspective of ADPKD were included. Sources searched included Medline (PubMed), Embase (Ovid), Cochrane Library, and Web of Science from inception to April 2022. This was followed by a subsequent reference and citation search. A total of 1011 articles were identified by the search process, with 28 studies included in the review. An inductive thematic analysis identified six key themes: diagnosis, monitoring, and screening; symptoms; lifestyle and dietary interventions; psychological, physical, and social impact; future planning; and interaction with the health care system. The findings of this review highlight the burden and uncertainty associated with ADPKD from a patient's perspective. This impacts patients and their caregivers/relatives at each stage of the patient's journey from screening to initiation of renal replacement therapy and future planning.