The PKD Foundation's support has in part enabled this new research discovery. In the 1700s and 1800s, PKD was often given the label of Bright's Disease. This term encompassed any of several kidney diseases marked by high concentration of protein in the urine. With the presence of PKD, cysts develop in both kidneys. Cysts are sacs of fluid that cause the kidney to enlarge and can hinder its ability to remove harmful toxins from the body.
Cysts also squeeze on blood vessels, forcing the pressure to rise.
More than 60 percent of PKD patients develop kidney failure, for which dialysis and transplantation are reasonable treatments. Fear, denial and ignorance of the disease are PKD's greatest obstacles. The PKD Foundation, in partnership with volunteers around the world, works to educate the general public and the medical community about this disease. To this end, the PKD Foundation awards research grants to investigators like Dr. Somlo and Dr. Wu. Dr. Somlo received the first of five grants from the PKD Foundation in 1989.