Polycystic Kidney Disease

"PKD" stands for polycystic kidney disease characterized by the formation of multiple cysts on kidney surface causes increase in its size and weight. The weight of cyst filled kidney can reach 20-30 pounds. It is the most common heredity kidney disorder passes down through families. If both parents are carrier of this disease there is 50% chance for child to develop this disease but if one of the parents carries it the chance of its occurrence in child remains 25%. In this case child does not develop it but simply passes it to the next generation. It occurs in two forms; Autosomal dominant PKD and Autosomal recessive PKD. Autosomal dominant PKD shows symptoms in adulthood while Autosomal recessive PKD shows symptoms in infancy and early childhood.

In Autosomal dominant PKD there is chance for a person to live for several years so it is also called "adult polycystic kidney disease". Symptoms of Autosomal dominant PKD are abdominal pain or pain in back and lower portion,excessive urination at night,headache, high blood pressure,abnormal heart valves,kidney stones, nail abnormalities,drowsiness and painful menstruation etc. Some other severe conditions include hematuria,aneurysms (bulges in walls of blood vessels) and direvticulosis (small pouches bulge outward through the colon). Hematuria (blood in urine) can be classified into microscopic and gross hematuria. In microscopic hematuria blood spots are so small that they can only be seen through a microscope. While in gross hematuria large spots of blood can be seen through naked eye.

Autosomal recessive PKD is rare form caused by mutation in Autosomal recessive PKD gene (PKHD1). Signs of this form of PKD appear before birth so it is also called "infantile PKD". In many cases child with Autosomal recessive PKD develops kidney failure before reaching adulthood. Severity of this condition varies from case to case as in some cases baby die after some hours or days due to respiratory difficulties or total respiratory failure. Its symptoms are high blood pressure,urinary tract infection, frequent urination, effects on liver and spleen, low blood cells count, varicose veins and hemorrhoids (formation of masses or clamps of tissues within anal canal) etc. Growth factor is considered a primary feature of Autosomal recessive PKD as child shows less growth activity (smaller in size) than average growth rate.

It is important to remember that there is no specific cure for PKD. But antibiotics can be used for pain reduction,high blood pressure and for urine related problems. Dialysis and kidney transplantation are also used as alternative methods of cure to avoid its severity.