What Causes Polycystic Kidney Disease

As a genetic kidney problem, Polycystic Kidney Disease passes on from generation to generation. Many factors can trigger Polycystic Kidney Disease, but gene problem is the dominant cause for various cysts in kidneys.

Polycystic Kidney Disease is clinically divided into two types: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease (ADPKD) and Autosomal Recessive Polycystic Kidney Disease (ARPKD). For ADPKD, it affects adult the most; whereas, ARPKD mostly occurs in infants and children. Both ADPKD and ARPKD are caused by gene mutation.

According to studies, gene mutation in PKD include PKD1, PKD2 and PKHD1. PKD1 is located on chromosome 16 and the PKD 2 gene is located on chromosome 4. Gene mutation leads to the formation of thousands of cysts, which impair kidney function and other organs.

Cysts in Polycystic Kidney Disease are filled with yellow fluids which are mostly urine. These cysts become larger and larger with the increase of cystic fluids. Finally they take up the whole kidneys and even the whole enterocoelia. Gene mutation is the root cause for countless cysts in kidney and enlarged cysts are the real reason for kidney fail to work.

Polycystic Kidney Disease is hereditary disease, but not everyone with PKD gene will certainly suffer from this disease. According to the two hit hypothesis, cysts appear only when there is infection, poisoning and other similar risk factors. Therefore, living a healthy life is one of the key points for people with PKD gene to avoid kidney damages.

PKD is genetic disease, so more than half of patients have PKD history and they inherit PKD gene from their parents. However, according to statistics, in about 40% of PKD cases, patients have no family history. For these patients, mutation of their own gene is the real cause.

Once PKD occurs, there are some other factors that can accelerate Polycystic Kidney Disease to progress to kidney failure. They are high blood pressure, improper diet, unhealthy life style and improper treatments. Living with these factors, PKD may develop to kidney failure within a short term. Therefore, keeping far away or controlling these risk factors strictly is very essential.

Lastly, it is not terrible for one to inherit PKD gene, but if he does not attach enough more importance to the disease and ignore it casually, a bad consequence will be certainly caused..