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Hypertension is the leading cause of renal failure in this dialysis and transplant center. When malignant hypertension is encountered, the symptom complex of cachexia and failure to thrive highlights its clinical presentation. The courses of 32 black renal hypertensive patients studied retrospectively demonstrated this symptom complex as well as prolongation of survival, when bilateral nephrectomy and renal transplantation were used as definitive treatment.

Caseous granulomatous lesions, consistent with tuberculosis, were found in the spleen in two of our renal transplant candidates. There was no clinical evidence of tuberculosis in either patient. Only one patient had a positive tuberculin skin test whose chest film showed hilar calcifications suggestive of healed granulomatous disease. Because of this incidental finding in the spleen, both patients were placed on antituberculous therapy. There has been no evidence of active tuberculosis in either patient despite the use of usual doses of immunosuppressive drugs.

Adult polycystic kidney disease treatment at Howard University Hospital is summarized. The cases are taken from autopsies performed between January 1955 and November 1975 and from the Hospital's dialysis population. Polycystic kidney disease was identified in six adults and four infants. Only two dialysis patients were clinically thought to have the disease. A review of the major clinical features of the disease is presented.