Polycystic Kidney
What is Polycystic Kidney ?
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is an inherited disorder in which clusters of cysts develop primarily within your kidneys, causing your kidneys to enlarge and lose function over time. Cysts are noncancerous, round sacs containing fluid. The cysts vary in size, and they can grow very large. Having many cysts or large cysts can damage your kidneys.
Polycystic kidney disease can also cause cysts to develop in your liver and elsewhere in your body. The disease can cause serious complications, including high blood pressure and kidney failure. PKD varies greatly in its severity, and some complications are preventable. Lifestyle changes and treatments might help reduce damage to your kidneys from complications.
Symptoms
- High blood pressure
- Belly, side or back pain
- Blood in the urine
- A feeling of fullness in the belly
- Enlarged kidneys
- Headaches
- Kidney stones
- Kidney failure
- Urinary tract or kidney infections
- Fatigue
Cause
Gene changes cause polycystic kidney disease. Most often, the condition runs in families. Sometimes, a gene change happens on its own in a child. This is known as a spontaneous gene change. Then neither parent has a copy of the changed gene. There are two main types of polycystic kidney disease. They’re caused by different gene changes. The two types of PKD are autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). This is the most common type of ongoing kidney disease that’s passed through families, also called inherited. Symptoms of ADPKD often start between the ages of 30 and 40. Only one parent needs to have the condition to pass it to the children. If one parent has ADPKD, each child has a 50% chance of getting the condition. This is the more common type of polycystic kidney disease. Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease (ARPKD). This type is far less common than ADPKD. The symptoms often appear soon after birth. Sometimes, symptoms don’t appear until later in childhood or during the teen years. Both parents must have gene changes to pass on this form of the condition. If both parents carry a changed gene, each child has a 25% chance of getting the condition.
Risk Factors
The biggest risk factor for getting polycystic kidney disease is getting the gene changes that cause the disease from one or both parents.
When to see a Doctor
It’s not uncommon for people to have polycystic kidney disease for years without knowing it. If you develop some of the signs and symptoms of polycystic kidney disease, see your doctor. If you have a first-degree relative — parent, sibling or child — with polycystic kidney disease, see your doctor to discuss screening for this disorder.