Polycystic kidney disease
Polycystic kidney disease is an inherited condition in which multiple cysts develop in the kidneys Cysts are not cancerous and are round pockets that contain fluid Cysts vary in size, and the more fluid they collect, the larger they are
The kidney is the most affected in this disease, but polycystic kidney disease also causes cysts in the liver and other organs. The disease is characterized by many complications
A frequent complication of polycystic kidney disease is high blood pressure Kidney failure can also accompany this condition
Polycystic kidney disease varies in severity, some complications are preventable Lifestyle changes and medications can help prevent complications such as high blood pressure
Abnormalities in genes cause polycystic kidney disease, which means that the disease runs in families Rarely, a genetic mutation is the cause of the disease
There are two types of polycystic kidney disease with different genetic causes:
- Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease Signs and symptoms usually appear between the ages of 30 and 40 In the past, this type of disease was called polycystic kidney disease in adults, but the condition has also been reported in children
Because the disease is dominant, just one gene passed down from one parent is enough to develop it. Each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the disease This form of the disease accounts for 90% of polycystic kidney disease - Autosomal recessive polycystic kidney disease This type is much rarer than the dominant type Signs and symptoms appear soon after birth Sometimes, symptoms appear in childhood or adolescence
In this case, since the disease is recessively inherited, both parents must have the defective gene for the disease to be passed on to their child. Each child has a 25% chance of the disease
Researchers found two genes linked to autosomal-dominant and autosomal-recessive polycystic kidney disease
In some cases, a patient with an autosomal dominant form does not have a family history of the disease. It is possible that a family member had the disease but died of another cause before the disease was detected
Rarely, autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease is caused by a spontaneous mutation in a gene and there is no family history.
Polycystic kidney disease is characterized by these symptoms:
- high blood pressure
- pain in the back or sides
- headache
- increased abdominal circumference
- bloody urine
- frequent urination
- kidney Generally, symptoms appear soon
If you have symptoms of polycystic kidney disease, see your doctor to rule out a possible cause If your close relative - parent, sibling or child has been diagnosed with polycystic kidney disease, consult your doctor about the need for an appropriate screening procedure
