At present, a complete cure for the disease of Polycystic Kidney Disease
(PKD) is still not achieved. We can do nothing to change the genes. So what we
can do is just to delay the development of this disease and reduce its
harms.
How does the disease of PKD develop? PKD is a kind of progressive disease. It
is characterized by fluid-filled cysts that form in the nephrons of both kidneys
(bilateral) and eventually lead to kidney failure in the majority of patients.
The disease of PKD is the fourth most common cause of Renal Failure.
Cysts usually begin as an outpouching (like a blister) anywhere along the
length of the nephrons. Approximately 70% of the cysts detach from the nephron
when they are small and proceed to enlarge as they fill with either clear fluid
or fluid that may contain blood cells. In patients with PKD, hundreds to
thousands of cysts can develop that range from the size of a pinhead to as large
as a grapefruit (10-20 cm.) in diameter. Each kidney may expand to as large as a
football and may weigh up to 38 pounds. The continual enlargement of cysts
crowds out healthy kidney tissue. The kidneys may quadruple in size before
kidney function is affected at which point renal function rapidly declines.
In addition, normal tissue can be actively destroyed and fibrous tissue can
form resulting in a condition called interstitial fibrosis. The combination of
cysts and progressive interstitial fibrosis is thought to accelerate chronic
renal failure, resulting in the kidney's loss of ability to cleanse the blood
and concentrate urine.
What are the harms of the disease of PKD? With the development of this
disease, there will be various symptoms and complications, and all of these will
aggravate the condition of the patients. It may even develop to renal
insufficiency and renal failure. In early stage, cysts are small and they won’t
affect patients’ normal life. With cysts growing bigger, they will begin to
compress surrounding kidney tissue gradually. Cystic pressure on kidney
increases with cysts growing, which can start the process of Renal Fibrosis—the
real cause of kidney injury. Once Renal Fibrosis involves more than 50% of the
whole kidney, kidneys can’t maintain the daily operation normally. If more than
80% kidney is involved by Renal Fibrosis, this disease begins to develop into
End Stage Renal Failure or Uremia stage which can threaten patients’ life
greatly.
Besides this, complications caused by PKD are also dangerous for PKD
patients. During the development of PKD, several serious complications related
with PKD can be caused at the same time. Such complications include
Hypertension, Anemia, Kidney Stone, Polycystic Liver Disease, internal kidney
calcification, urinary tract infection and cyst canceration, etc. Sometimes,
these complications are more serious than the kidney problem itself.
