Research supports treatment for Alport syndrome

Until recently, most physicians thought of Alport syndrome as an untreatable disease. However, experiments carried out in mice with Alport syndrome showed that several different kinds of medication could slow loss of kidney function. Preliminary studies with human subjects also have provided evidence that early treatment delays kidney failure. The primary symptom is blood in the urine (hematuria), but as the disease progresses, additional signs of kidney disease begin to appear, such as protein in the urine and high blood pressure. Hearing loss is another symptom of Alport syndrome. While hearing loss is not present at birth, it becomes apparent by late childhood or early adolescence, generally before the onset of kidney failure. Some patients with Alport syndrome do not experience hearing loss.