Question: What is (are) Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease ?
Answer: Acquired cystic kidney disease happens when a person's kidneys develop fluid-filled sacs, called cysts, over time. Acquired cystic kidney disease is not the same as polycystic kidney disease (PKD), another disease that causes the kidneys to develop multiple cysts. Acquired cystic kidney disease occurs in children and adults who have - chronic kidney disease (CKD)a condition that develops over many years and may lead to end-stage kidney disease, or ESRD. The kidneys of people with CKD gradually lose their ability to filter wastes, extra salt, and fluid from the blood properly. - end-stage kidney diseasetotal and permanent kidney failure that requires a kidney transplant or blood-filtering treatments called dialysis. The cysts are more likely to develop in people who are on kidney dialysis. The chance of developing acquired cystic kidney disease increases with the number of years a person is on dialysis. However, the cysts are caused by CKD or kidney failure, not dialysis treatments. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topics, kidney failureand dialysis.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What is (are) Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease ?
Answer: Acquired cystic kidney disease differs from PKD in several ways. Unlike acquired cystic kidney disease, PKD is a genetic, or inherited, disorder that can cause complications such as high blood pressure and problems with blood vessels in the brain and heart. The following chart lists the differences: People with Polycystic Kidney Disease - are born with a gene that causes the disease - have enlarged kidneys - develop cysts in the liver and other parts of the body People with Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease - do not have a disease-causing gene - have kidneys that are normal-sized or smaller - do not form cysts in other parts of the body In addition, for people with PKD, the presence of cysts marks the onset of their disease, while people with acquired cystic kidney disease already have CKD when they develop cysts. More information is provided in the NIDDK health topic, Polycystic Kidney Disease.
Source: NIDDK

Question: How many people are affected by Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease ?
Answer: Acquired cystic kidney disease becomes more common the longer a person has CKD. - About 7 to 22 percent of people with CKD already have acquired cystic kidney disease before starting dialysis treatments. - Almost 60 percent of people on dialysis for 2 to 4 years develop acquired cystic kidney disease.1 - About 90 percent of people on dialysis for 8 years develop acquired cystic kidney disease.1
Source: NIDDK

Question: What causes Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease ?
Answer: Researchers do not fully understand what causes cysts to grow in the kidneys of people with CKD. The fact that these cysts occur only in the kidneys and not in other parts of the body, as in PKD, indicates that the processes that lead to cyst formation take place primarily inside the kidneys.2
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the symptoms of Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease ?
Answer: A person with acquired cystic kidney disease often has no symptoms. However, the complications of acquired cystic kidney disease can have signs and symptoms.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the complications of Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease ?
Answer: People with acquired cystic kidney disease may develop the following complications: - an infected cyst, which can cause fever and back pain. - blood in the urine, which can signal that a cyst in the kidney is bleeding. - tumors in the kidneys. People with acquired cystic kidney disease are more likely than people in the general population to have cancerous kidney tumors. However, the chance of cancer spreading is lower in people with acquired cystic kidney disease than that of other kidney cancers not associated with acquired cystic kidney disease, and the long-term outlook is better.1
Source: NIDDK

Question: What are the treatments for Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease ?
Answer: If acquired cystic kidney disease is not causing complications, a person does not need treatment. A health care provider will treat infections with antibioticsmedications that kill bacteria. If large cysts are causing pain, a health care provider may drain the cyst using a long needle inserted into the cyst through the skin. When a surgeon transplants a new kidney into a patient's body to treat kidney failure, acquired cystic kidney disease in the damaged kidneys, which usually remain in place after a transplant, often disappears. A surgeon may perform an operation to remove tumors or suspected tumors. In rare cases, a surgeon performs an operation to stop cysts from bleeding. Have Regular Screenings to Look for Cyst or Tumor Growth Some health care providers recommend all people with end-stage kidney disease get screened for kidney cancer using CT scans or MRIs after 3 years of dialysis. People with acquired cystic kidney disease should talk with their health care provider about when to begin screening.
Source: NIDDK

Question: What to do for Acquired Cystic Kidney Disease ?
Answer: - Acquired cystic kidney disease happens when a person's kidneys develop fluid-filled sacs, called cysts, over time. - Acquired cystic kidney disease occurs in children and adults who have - chronic kidney disease (CKD) - end-stage kidney disease (ESRD) - People with acquired cystic kidney disease may develop the following complications: - an infected cyst, which can cause fever and back pain - blood in the urine, which can signal that a cyst in the kidney is bleeding - tumors in the kidneys - To confirm the diagnosis, the health care provider may order one or more imaging tests: - Ultrasound - Computerized tomography (CT) scan - Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) - If acquired cystic kidney disease is not causing complications, a person does not need treatment. - A health care provider will treat infections with antibioticsmedications that kill bacteria. - If large cysts are causing pain, a health care provider may drain the cyst using a long needle inserted into the cyst through the skin. - A surgeon may perform an operation to remove tumors or suspected tumors. In rare cases, a surgeon performs an operation to stop cysts from bleeding.
Source: NIDDK