1. Take the Kidney Disease Quiz
2. Kidney Stones Slideshow Pictures
3. High Blood Pressure Slideshow Pictures

In this Article

• 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
• Find a local Nephrologist in your town
• Polycystic Kidney Disease Index

• The two forms of polycystic kidney disease (PKD) are
  
  
  • autosomal dominant PKD, a form that usually causes symptoms in adulthood
    
    
  • autosomal recessive PKD, a rare form that usually causes symptoms in infancy and early childhood
    
    
• The symptoms and signs of PKD include
  
  
  • pain in the back and lower sides
    
    
  • headaches
    
    
  • urinary tract infections
    
    
  • blood in the urine
    
    
  • cysts in the kidneys and other organs
    
    
• Diagnosis of PKD is obtained by
  
  
  • ultrasound imaging of kidney cysts
    
    
  • ultrasound imaging of cysts in other organs
    
    
  • family medical history, including genetic testing
    
    
• PKD has no cure. Treatments include
  
  
  • medicine to control high blood pressure
    
    
  • medicine and surgery to reduce pain
    
    
  • antibiotics to resolve infections
    
    
  • dialysis to replace functions of failed kidneys kidney transplantation

SOURCE: National Institutes of Health

References: Grantham JJ, Nair V, Winklhoffer F. Cystic diseases of the kidney. In: Brenner BM, ed. Brenner & Rector's The Kidney. Vol. 2. 6th ed. Philadelphia: WB Saunders Company; 2000: 1699-1730.