Every kind of disease has its signs and most patients realize that they have
disease by these signs. For the disease of Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD),
however, the early signs are not that obvious. When the patients find the
obvious signs, this disease has developed to certain level. Then what
characteristic signs of Polycystic Kidney Disease should patients pay attention
to?
First, pain and discomfort of waist and abdomen: the main cause of this is
that the enlarged cysts lead to the increase of water amount in kidney, which
make the kidney heavier or cause the change of kidney shape. And then the
heavier kidney will pull the organs nearby. The characteristic of the pain is
dull pain. The pain may be unilateral or bilateral and radiate downward or to
the back. If the cysts are infected or there is hematuria, the pain will be more
serious. There may be renal colic if the urinary tract is blocked by stones or
clots after hematuria.
Second, proteinuria: but the urine protein is little, usually the amount of
urine protein of 24 hours' urine is less than 2g and usually the amount of urine
protein won't lead to Nephrotic Syndrome.
Third, hematuria: it can express as gross hematuria or microscopic hematuria.
The attack of hematuria has the characteristic of periodicity, and when it
attacks, the pain will be more serious. It can be aggravated by strenuous
exercise, injuries and infections. The cause of hematuria is that the various
arteries under the cysts wall are affected by the pressure and infections to
rupture or to be over-stretched.
Forth, hypertension: the cysts will gradually press kidney with their
enlargement and cause the ischemia of kidney, which will cause the increase of
renin secretion and further cause hypertension. There are more than 50 percent
of patients have the symptom of hypertension when their renal function is still
normal. When the renal function decreases, the morbidity of hypertension will be
higher.
Fifth, abdominal phymas: sometimes, the abdominal phymas are the main reasons
for patients to see a doctor. About 60-80 percent of patients' swollen kidneys
can be touched. Generally speaking, the bigger the swollen kidney is, the worse
the renal function is.
Pay attention to the characteristic signs of polycystic kidney disease, so as
to find and treat this disease as early as possible, which plays an important
role in the prognosis of this disease.