Polycystic Kidney Disease
(PKD)

• What is Polycystic Kidney Disease?
• What is autosomal dominant PKD?
• What are the symptoms of autosomal dominant PKD?
• How is autosomal dominant PKD diagnosed?
• How is autosomal dominant PKD treated?
• What is autosomal recessive PKD?
• What are the symptoms of autosomal recessive PKD?
• How is autosomal recessive PKD diagnosed?
• How is autosomal recessive PKD treated?
• What is a genetic disease?
• Hope through research
• Polycystic Kidney Disease At A Glance

What is Polycystic Kidney Disease?

Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys. The kidneys are two organs, each about the size of a fist, located in the upper part of a person's abdomen, toward the back. The kidneys filter wastes and extra fluid from the blood to form urine. They also regulate amounts of certain vital substances in the body. When cysts form in the kidneys, they are filled with fluid. PKD cysts can profoundly enlarge the kidneys while replacing much of the normal structure, resulting in reduced kidney function and leading to kidney failure.

When PKD causes kidneys to fail-which usually happens after many years-the patient requires dialysis or kidney transplantation. About one-half of people with the most common type of PKD progress to kidney failure, also called end-stage renal disease (ESRD).

PKD can also cause cysts in the liver and problems in other organs, such as blood vessels in the brain and heart. The number of cysts as well as the complications they cause help doctors distinguish PKD from the usually harmless "simple" cysts that often form in the kidneys in later years of life.

In the United States, about 600,000 people have PKD, and cystic disease is the fourth leading cause of kidney failure. Two major inherited forms of PKD exist:

• Autosomal dominant PKD is the most common inherited form. Symptoms usually develop between the ages of 30 and 40, but they can begin earlier, even in childhood. About 90 percent of all PKD cases are autosomal dominant PKD.
  
  
• Autosomal recessive PKD is a rare inherited form. Symptoms of autosomal recessive PKD begin in the earliest months of life, even in the womb.

From the Doctors at MedicineNet.com

Creatinine Blood Test - Learn more about the Creatinine blood test, including a description, reasons for production, importance of checking levels, and interpretation of blood Creatinine level results. Source:MedicineNet CT Scan - CAT Scan / CT Scan (Computerized Axial Tomography) information. Learn what a CAT Scan is, why it is performed, risks, and how to prepare for a CAT scan Source:MedicineNet Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI Scan) - Medical information on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) used in detecting structural abnormalities of the body. Learn uses, risks, and how to prepare for an MRI scan Source:MedicineNet Read 37 more Polycystic Kidney Disease related articles ... Scoliosis: An Unnatural Curve Nasal Irrigation Can Help Fight Spring Allergies Health Highlights: May 11, 2008 Aging Hands? Docs Put Beauty Within Reach Banishing Wrinkles With Fillers Body Contouring Surgery Improves Acrylamide in Diet: Cancer Risk? Newer Prostate Cancer Treatment Similar to Traditional Surgery Protective Eyewear Key to Sports Safety Health Tip: Coping With Alzheimer's