Treatment is available for XL Alport syndrome. It is not curative but can delay kidney failure for up to a decade. Treatment is with ACE inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBS), and should be started in boys from the time of diagnosis, and in girls from the onset of microalbuminuria. Girls should be tested every 6 months for microalbuminuria. The aim is to minimise the protein loss in the urine which correlates with kidney scarring and loss of function. Many new treatments are in development, and there are many clinical trials actively recruiting at present.
It is also important for patients to maintain a healthy lifestyle: to not smoke, to not become overweight or develop diabetes; to ensure good blood pressure control; and to exercise regularly.
COL4A5