Cystinosis Treatment; Depends On the Age, Type, and the Degree of Disease Severity
In the past, cystinosis treatment was limited to treat
metabolic acidosis and replace electrolytes lost in the urine. Today, the wide availability
of an effective drug, kidney transplantation, and cysteamine, has dramatically
improved the treatment and management of cystinosis. Cystinosis is the most
common hereditary cause of renal Fanconi syndrome in children; characterized by
accumulation of the amino acid cystine within cells. Excess cystine damages
cells and forms crystals that can build up and cause problems in many organs
and tissues.
Kidney transplantation is a safe and effective treatment for
the kidney failure of individuals with cystinosis. Nephropathic (infantile)
cystinosis is the most common and severe form of the cystinosis. Nephropathic
cystinosis usually appears in infants and children at a young age. It is a
life-long condition, but available treatments, such as kidney transplantation
and cysteamine therapy, have allowed people with the disease to live longer.
Intermediate cystinosis usually becomes apparent in affected individuals in
adolescence.
Intermediate cystinosis is characterized by symptoms similar
to nephropathic cystinosis. These symptoms, however, are not prominent till age
of 8 to 20 years. If untreated, end-stage renal failure in intermediate
cystinosis usually develops at some point between 15 and 25 years of age. Cystinosis
is a rare disease characterized by the accumulation of cystine in different
organs and tissues of the body, such as brain, eyes, kidneys, liver, muscles,
and pancreas. Cystinosis is an inherited disease, meaning that it is passed
down through families.
According to the American Kidney Fund, cystinosis occurs in
only about 1 in 100,000-200,000 children, so it is not widely known nor
understood. Thus, there is an increasing demand for the cystinosis
treatment in this region. Several cystinosis treatments are available
including the cysteamine therapy, hormonal therapy, and renal replacement
therapy, among others; however, no curative treatment is yet available. Moreover,
the drug cysteamine is an oral drug given to patients with cystinosis prior to
kidney transplantation.
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