Polycystic Kidney Disease is known as hereditary kidney disease. However, not
everyone who carries PKD genes will develop into PKD and not every PKD patient
gets the disease from their family.
If I have familial Polycystic Kidney Disease history, will I inherit the
disease?
Normally, if your father or mother has the disease, you have a 50-50
incidence of PKD. If both of your parents have the disease, you hereditary
incidence increases to 75%.
If I have PKD genes, will I develop into the disease surely?
In most cases, you will develop into the disease. However, some people who
carry the faulty genes, do not suffer the disease until they die.
According to the “second strike” theory, only the people with PKD genes get
the ham in the immune system can they develop into the kidneys. The trigger can
be anything that damages your immunity, such as cold or flu, infection,
inflammation, fatigue, poor sleep etc.
When the immune system can not work well, it will lose the control of the
cyst epithelial lining cells, which stimulates the cysts to enlarge.
Do all PKD patients get the disease from their parents?
Except ADPKD (Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease) and ARPKD
(Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease) which are always related to the
genetic factor. There is a third type of PKD which has nothing with the familial
triggers.
The third type of PKD is called Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease (ACKD) and is
caused by kidney damage or scarring rather than genetics. Meantime, Most
dialysis patients will develop ACKD after several years of treatment. Other
diseases that slowly damage the kidneys can also lead to ACKD.
If you have the familial PKD history, you are suggested to monitor your
kidney functions. There are many tests for PKD which can help the potential
people to check out the disease, even in the childhood.
