Main Complications of Polycystic Kidney Disease

Ⅰ. Pain on kidney region is the main symptom of PKD. Patients always have a feeling of pain or pressure on waist and back. Pain can be worsened after physical activity, long-time walking or sitting. Painful feeling can be relieved after a bed rest. Besides, kidney internal bleeding, stone movements or infections can also cause serious pain.

Ⅱ. Haematuria: about 50% patients get microscopic Haematuria, and sometimes gross Haematuria can be found. This is caused by blood vessel rupture of cyst wall. Blood coagulated in ureter can lead to colic. Besides, Haematuria usually happens accompanied with Leucocyturia and Albuminuria. Protein in urine is tiny, not more than 1.0g per day. When there is kidney internal infection, obvious pyuria appears with worsening Haematuria as well as pain on waist accompanied by fever.

Ⅲ. High Blood Pressure is common among Adult Polycystic Kidney Disease. 50% patients suffer from High Blood Pressure before serum creatinine increase, which is related with cystic pressure on surrounding tissue as well as activation of Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone system. It has been proved that cyst growing has a close relationship with High Blood Pressure. Besides, patients who suffer from High Blood Pressure may have more rapidly growing cysts, which can affect prognosis directly.

Ⅳ. Renal Insufficiency: it is inevitable that Renal Insufficiency appears in PKD. Very few patients get Renal Failure in teenager period. Normally, seldom Renal Function decline appear before patients are 40 years old, and half renal function can be kept for 50% patients when they are 70 years old. However, the course of illness developing into Renal Failure is much shorter if patients suffer from High Blood Pressure.

Ⅴ. Polycystic Liver Disease: as for patients who suffer from PKD from middle age, about half of these patients may get Polycystic Liver Disease at the same time, and this proportion increases to 70% after patients get 60 years old. Generally, Polycystic Liver has a slow development and it is usually found about 10 years later than PKD. Cysts of Polycystic Liver Disease are caused by expending of bile duct. Besides, pancreas and ovary can also have cystic change.

Ⅵ. Kidney Enlargement: there is an unequal pathological change of bilateral kidneys. Kidneys may occupy the whole abdominal cavity. Large amount of cysts grow on kidney surface, which leads to irregular kidney shape.


Ⅶ. Angeioma of circle of Willis: 10% to 40% patients may get this complication which is usually found in a further check of cerebral hemorrhage caused by angeioma rupture. Besides, thoracic aortic aneurysm and cardiovalvular diseases like valvular inadequacy and prolapse are also common.