Polycystic Kidney DiseaseSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
Learn About Polycystic Kidney Disease
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is a kidney condition passed down through families. In this disease, many cysts form in the kidneys, causing them to become enlarged.
Cysts - kidneys; Kidney - polycystic; Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease; ADPKD
PKD is passed down through families (inherited). The two inherited forms of PKD are autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive.
People with PKD have many clusters of cysts in the kidneys. What exactly triggers the cysts to form is unknown.
PKD is associated with the following conditions:
- Aortic aneurysms
- Brain aneurysms
- Cysts in the liver, pancreas, and testes
- Diverticula of the colon
As many as half of people with PKD have cysts in the liver.
Symptoms of PKD may include any of the following:
- Abdominal pain or tenderness
- Blood in the urine
- Excessive urination at night (nocturia)
- Flank pain on one or both sides
- Drowsiness
- Joint pain
- Nail abnormalities
The goal of treatment is to control symptoms and prevent complications. Treatment may include:
- Blood pressure medicines
- Diuretics (water pills)
- Low-salt diet
Any urinary tract infection should be treated quickly with antibiotics.
Cysts that are painful, infected, bleeding, or causing a blockage may need to be drained. There are usually too many cysts to make it practical to remove each cyst.
Surgery to remove one or both kidneys may be needed. Treatments for end-stage kidney disease may include dialysis or a kidney transplant.
Emory University Hospital Midtown
Frederic Oskoui is an Intensive Care Medicine provider practicing medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. He has been practicing medicine for over 6 years. Dr. Oskoui is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Polycystic Kidney Disease. He is also highly rated in 5 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, Polycystic Kidney Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, and End-Stage Renal Disease (ESRD). Dr. Oskoui is board certified in American Board Of Anesthesiology, 2025.
Medical Pavilion
Alan Yu is a Nephrologist practicing medicine in Kansas City, Kansas. He has been practicing medicine for over 37 years. Dr. Yu is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Polycystic Kidney Disease. He is also highly rated in 5 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Polycystic Kidney Disease, Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, Chronic Kidney Disease, Kidney Stones, and Kidney Transplant. Dr. Yu is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine, Nephrology - 1996 and American Board Of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine - 1995. Dr. Yu is currently accepting new patients.
Nephrology And Hypertension Faculty Practice
Dr. Meyeon Park is a nephrologist who cares for patients affected in various ways by high blood pressure and kidney disease. She has a special focus on polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and directs UCSF's PKD center of excellence. Park's research explores how heart disease and kidney disease influence each other. She is particularly interested in learning how lifestyle changes can help individuals with PKD. Park earned her medical degree from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. She then completed a residency in internal medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, followed by a fellowship in nephrology at UCSF. She also has a master of advanced study degree in clinical research from UCSF. Park is a member of the American Society of Nephrology. Dr. Park is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Polycystic Kidney Disease. She is also highly rated in 7 other conditions, according to our data. Her clinical expertise encompasses Polycystic Kidney Disease, Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease, Liddle Syndrome, Pseudohypoaldosteronism Type 2, and Kidney Transplant. Dr. Park is board certified in American Board Of Internal Medicine, Nephrology and American Board Of Internal Medicine, Internal Medicine. Dr. Park is currently accepting new patients.
More information and support for people with polycystic kidney disease and their families can be found at a kidney disease support group.
The disease gets worse slowly. Eventually, it may lead to end-stage kidney failure. It is also associated with liver disease, including infection of liver cysts.
The treatment may relieve symptoms for many years.
People with PKD who don't have other diseases may be good candidates for a kidney transplant.
Health problems that may result from PKD include:
- Anemia
- Bleeding or rupture of cysts
- Long-term (chronic) kidney disease
- End-stage kidney disease
- High blood pressure
- Infection of liver cysts
- Kidney stones
- Liver failure (mild to severe)
- Repeated urinary tract infections
Contact your health care provider if:
- You have symptoms of PKD
- You have a family history of PKD or related conditions and you are planning to have children (you may want to have genetic counseling)
Currently, no treatment can prevent the cysts from forming or enlarging.
Summary: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the effect of VX-407 on height-adjusted total kidney volume (htTKV), safety, tolerability, and pharmacokinetics (PK) of VX-407.
Summary: This study will investigate if a medication (metformin) widely used in the treatment of diabetes could be re-purposed for the treatment of patients with a diagnosis of early stage ADPKD to slow the rate of kidney function decline, reducing morbidity and mortality and improving the quality of life for ADPKD patients.
Published Date: September 02, 2025
Published By: Walead Latif, MD, Nephrologist and Clinical Associate Professor, Rutgers Medical School, Newark, NJ. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Arnaout MA. Cystic kidney diseases. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 112.
Guay-Woodford LM. Other cystic kidney diseases. In: Johnson RJ, Floege J, Tonelli M, eds. Comprehensive Clinical Nephrology. 7th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 47.
Torres VE, Harris PC. Cystic diseases of the kidney. In: Yu ASL, Chertow GM, Luyckx VA, Marsden PA, Skorecki K, Taal MW, eds. Brenner and Rector's The Kidney. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 45.