Multicystic kidney disease – PKP – Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease – Polycystic kidney second type

Description of polycystic kidney disease

The word polycystic means many cysts. Multicystic kidney disease (PKP) It is a hereditary disease, wherein a kidney shaped multiple cysts.

Cysts are sacs, fluid-filled, which grow in the kidneys, causing them to grow in size. The number of cysts can range from a few to tens of. The size can vary from a small, which is difficult to diagnose, to size, greater than the kidney.

Polycystic kidney disease can cause pain, and interfere with the normal functioning of the kidneys. The consequences could be infection, kidney stones, high blood pressure, and, in the end, renal failure.

Reasons for polycystic kidney disease

Polycystic kidney disease is caused by an inherited gene. It – One of the most common genetic diseases. Children have a 50% chance of the control panel, If one parent has the gene. If a person is a gene panel, he will have some form of the disease over a lifetime. The disease can cause different symptoms in family members.

There is also a rare form of polycystic kidney disease, called autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease, which affects newborns, babies, and children. This form of the control panel can cause death in the first month of life.

Risk factors of polycystic kidney disease

The main risk factor, affecting the appearance of polycystic kidney disease is the presence of parents with the disease. The disease develops in 50 % children, born to parents with gene panel. Around 10% of cases the disease is not inherited gene, but mutates. Polycystic kidney disease affects men and women equally.

The symptoms of polycystic kidney disease

During the early stages of the panel is often no apparent symptoms. Most symptoms appear in middle age.

Often, the first symptom – pain in the back or side. Other features include polycystic kidney disease:

• High blood pressure;
• Blood in the urine;
• Urinary infection;
• Kidney stones;

Additional, less visible symptoms may include:

• Diseases of the nails;
• Painful menstruation;
• Joint pain;
• Drowsiness.

The above symptoms may be caused by other diseases. For an accurate diagnosis, seek medical advice.

Diagnosis of polycystic kidney disease

Diagnosing panel, the doctor can begin to search for symptoms, including the presence of high blood pressure, increasing the size of the kidneys, enlarged liver or blood in the urine.

Abdominal ultrasound – usually the first analysis to find cysts in the kidneys. If cysts are too small, to be detected by ultrasound, and still is suspected polycystic kidney disease, performed abdominal CT scan or MRI.

If the diagnosis still remains unconfirmed, They may be assigned additional tests, including:

• Gene Study – blood test, which tests the DNA of the patient and his family in the presence of the gene panel;
• Direct DNA analysis – DNA of the patient is tested for the gene panel.

In ten – forty percent of patients with polycystic kidney disease also have an aneurysm (loosening in the blood vessel wall) brain.

Treatment of polycystic kidney disease

Most treatments for the control panel treats the symptoms of the disease or prevent complications. Some of the treatment options may include:

• Treatment of high blood pressure – to lower blood pressure, often prescribed antihypertensive medications.
• Painkillers – You should be used cautiously, as some of them can cause further damage to the kidneys;
• Antibiotics – in the case of urinary tract infections, aggressive treatment with antibiotics helps to prevent further damage to the kidneys;
• Surgical intervention – Cysts may be drained through surgery, to ease the pain, remove infection or bleeding. Drainage of the cyst may also temporarily lower blood pressure;
• Sometimes, if the disease has taken a severe form, one or both kidneys may be removed. This procedure is called a nephrectomy;
• Diet – low protein diet can reduce the burden on the kidney. Limit salt intake can help maintain normal blood pressure, and the use of large amounts of water can reduce the risk of kidney stones;
• Dialysis e transplantatsiya – more than half of the patients PKP ill renal failure and require dialysis. Dialysis ispolizuyetsya, to purify the blood, since the kidneys can not perform this function. If a kidney transplant from a donor can not be performed, it will have to do dialysis for life.

Recent research has led to several drugs, that may hinder the development of cysts. For Example, somatostatin, which is in the final study, and may soon be available to patients with polycystic kidney disease.

Prevention of polycystic kidney disease

Prevention of polycystic kidney disease is not available. Based on genetic tests can identify a predisposition to the disease.