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Kidney Concerns

02/18/2009

Question:

Could polycystic kidney disease develop later on in life? Would the following “clinical impressions” warrant seeing a nephrologist: kideny stone, UTI, diverticulitis, high blood pressure, and sliding hiatal hernia.

Answer:

Yes, polycystic kidney disease (PKD) does typically develop later in life.  In this disease, a person is born with normal kidneys, but gradually develops cysts in them; the cysts are usually evident by the time the person is in their 20’s, but the disease is often not diagnosed until age 30-50’s.  There are other signs that accompany this disease, including high blood pressure, cysts in other organs (especially the liver), blood in the urine, kidney stones,  a heart valve disorder called mitral valve prolapse, colonic diverticulosis, and hernias (especially inguinal, but not hiatal).

Anyone who has PKD has a 50% chance of passing it on to each of their children.  

I hope that this information answers your questions; but if not, please feel free to write back with more specific questions.

For more information:

Go to the Kidney Diseases health topic.