New American Kidney Fund Education Initiative Provides Expanded Resources for Patients with and at Risk for Polycystic Kidney Disease

ROCKVILLE, Md. (September 4, 2020) — The American Kidney Fund (AKF) today announced a new education initiative focused on autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), the most common type of PKD. The initiative is designed to increase awareness of ADPKD, and to provide helpful education resources for those at risk to help facilitate conversations with their health care providers about testing and available treatments.

ADPKD is a genetic disorder characterized by the growth of numerous cysts in the kidneys, causing chronic kidney disease. It is the most commonly inherited form of kidney disease with about 6,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the United States.  Symptoms usually develop between the ages of 30 and 40, and about half of patients progress to end-stage renal disease (ESRD, or kidney failure) by age 60. About 2% of new cases of kidney failure are caused by ADPKD.

AKF's ADPKD awareness initiative, developed with grant support from Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., is part of AKF's Know Your KidneysTM award-winning suite of programs which focus on increasing awareness of kidney disease, its risk factors, early detection, and how to slow its progression or prevent it altogether. Among the new educational resources from AKF are a fact sheet that explains ADPKD in plain language, its symptoms, diagnosis and treatment, and a guide to help patients who have kidney disease — or have family members with kidney disease — talk about ADPKD with their doctors.

"Because kidney damage from ADPKD develops over time, we are committed to helping people understand if they are at risk for this disease so that they can receive an early diagnosis and treat the disorder before it progresses to kidney failure," said LaVarne Burton, AKF president and CEO. "We are grateful for the support of Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., for their support of this important educational initiative.

AKF's new ADPKD resources may be downloaded from its website.