What is PKD?
PKD (Polycystic Kidney Disease) is a progressive, genetic disease of the kidneys. It occurs in humans, cats, dogs, and other animals. PKD is characterized by the presence of multiple cysts in each Kidney (i.e, bilateral). (See also Is a Single Cyst in One Kidney Conclusive for PKD? and Can Kidney Cysts be Caused by Something Other Than PKD?, below). Research at Ohio State University conducted by Dr. David Biller and his associates indicates that these cysts are present from birth, but it remains to be proven whether this is always the case. (Note however, that two sites with information on PKD in humans — the National Institutes of Health NIDDK National Kidney and Urologic Diseases Information Clearinghouse website and the WebPath pathology website at the University of Utah School of Medicine indicate that in humans, PKD cysts are not always present at birth.
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys. The cysts are filled with fluid. PKD cysts can slowly replace much of the mass of the kidneys, reducing kidney function and leading to kidney failure. 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 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 major type of PKD progress to kidney failure, also called end-stage renal disease (ESRD). PKD can cause cysts in the liver and problems in other organs, such as the heart and blood vessels in the brain. These complications help doctors distinguish PKD from the usually harmless “simple” cysts that often fo
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous fluid filled cysts in the kidneys. PKD cysts can slowly replace much of the mass of the kidneys, reducing kidney function and leading to kidney failure. 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 from the blood to form urine. They also regulate amounts of certain vital substances in the body. When PKD causes kidneys to fail – which usually happens only after many years – the patient requires dialysis or kidney transplantation. About one-half of people with the major type of PKD progress to kidney failure, i.e., end-stage renal disease (ESRD). PKD can cause cysts in the liver and problems in other organs, such as the heart and blood vessels in the brain. These complications can help doctors distinguish PKD from the usually harmless “simple” cysts that often form in the kidneys in later ye
Polycystic Kidney Disease affects 1 in 500 people, including newborns, children and adults regardless of sex, age, race or ethnic origin. It comes in two forms: 1. Autosomal dominant (ADPKD), one of the most common life-threatening genetic diseases. ADPKD affects between 1 in 500 people. It does not skip a generation. There is usually a family history of ADPKD. Parents with ADPKD have a 50 percent chance of passing the disease on to each of their children. 2. Autosomal recessive (ARPKD), is a rare genetic disorder, occurring in approximately 1 in 20,000 individuals. It affects boys and girls equally and often causes significant mortality in the first month of life. A normal kidney is the size of a human fist and weighs about a third of a pound. However, with the presence of PKD, cysts develop in both kidneys. When many cysts develop, the kidneys can grow to be the size of a football or larger and weigh as much as 38 pounds each. There may be just a few cysts or many, and the cysts may
