Management of Cystic Kidney Disease

Management of cystic kidney disease currently is restricted to relief of symptoms and control of complications. There is presently no specific treatment that will reduce cyst formation in patients. Insights gained from basic research should provide a framework on which to base future therapeutic regimens. In this chapter we summarize current therapeutic approaches to the major clinical problems of renal cystic disease, with emphasis on autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease.