Polycystic Kidney Disease, Heredity

A:

PKD is a hereditary and genetic kidney disease in which the multiple cysts will continue to enlarge oppressing and replacing normal renal tissues and will in the end develop into renal failure. There are two types of PKD---ADPKD and ARPKD. They have different hereditary mode and genetic risk.

In case of ADPKD, receiving one abnormal gene copy can lead to the disease. That is to say if one parent has the disease, the offspring has 50% chance to inherit it. Nearly every generation will be affected and the male and female has the same risk.

In case of ARPKD, only if both parents carry the abnormal gene and pass it to the child can he or she develops the disease. And the genetic risk is 25%. If only one gene copy is passed to the child, he will not develop the disease, but he will pass the abnormal gene to the following generations.

Therefore you first need to make clear is your father ADPKD or ARPKD. If it is ADPKD, then you have 50% to inherit the disease and usually symptoms will appear during 30 to 50 and there are indeed some people that will not have obvious symptoms in the entire life. If it is ARPKD, then you may not develop the disease if your mother does not carry the abnormal gene.

To confirm the disease, you can go to do an ultrasound, CT scan or MRI which can make it all clear.