Fast Five Quiz: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Presentation and Diagnosis

Neera K. Dahl, MD, PhD

June 29, 2021

Figure 1. Colored MRI of the abdomen of a 33-year-old woman with polycystic kidneys (red). The front of the body is at the top of the image. The majority of the tissue of the kidneys has been replaced by cysts (dark red).

Pain in the abdomen, flank, or back is almost universally present in patients with ADPKD and is the most common initial sign. Any of the following can be responsible for the pain:

Enlargement of one or more cysts
Bleeding, which may be confined inside the cyst or can lead to gross hematuria with passage of clots or a perinephric hematoma
Urinary tract infection (eg, acute pyelonephritis, infected cysts, perinephric abscess)
Nephrolithiasis and renal colic
In rare cases, a coincidental hypernephroma

Symptoms related to renal failure (eg, pallor, uremic fetor, dry skin, edema) are unusual upon presentation.

Patients with early-stage ADPKD may also report fatigue, breathlessness, weakness, and malaise.

Learn more about the presentation of ADPKD.

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Any views expressed above are the author's own and do not necessarily reflect the views of WebMD or Medscape.

Cite this: Neera K. Dahl. Fast Five Quiz: Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease Presentation and Diagnosis - Medscape - Jun 29, 2021.

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