Polycystic kidney disease Health Article

Expectations (prognosis)

The disease gets worse slowly, eventually resulting in end-stage kidney failure. It is also associated with liver disease, including infection of liver cysts.

Medical treatment may provide relief of symptoms for many years.

The absence of systemic disease or autoimmune disease makes people with polycystic kidney disease good candidates for kidney transplantation.

Complications

• High blood pressure
• Anemia
• Recurrent urinary tract infection
• Recurrent kidney infection
• Kidney stones
• Kidney failure, mild to severe
• End-stage kidney disease
• Bleeding or rupture of cysts
• Infection of liver cysts
• Liver failure, mild to severe

Calling your health care provider

Call your health care provider if symptoms indicate polycystic kidney disease may be present.

Call for an appointment with your health care provider if there is a family history of polycystic kidney disease or associated disorders and children are planned. Genetic counseling may be offered.

Prevention

Currently, no treatment can prevent the cysts from forming or enlarging.