Diet as a Potential Treatment for Autosomal Dominant Polycystic Kidney Disease

The purpose of this study is to learn if dietary habits can affect vasopressin secretion in patients with autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease. Vasopressin increases the growth of kidney cysts and accelerates disease progression. Understanding how to control secretion of this hormone based on dietary habits may help to develop treatments to control this disease. The study will include about 60 patients from Tufts Medical Center. The study will last for 2 weeks. Blood and urine tests will be done 3 times during the study period. Subjects will be randomly assigned (by chance like flipping a coin), to one of two study groups. Group 1 will be given instructions to adjust their diet. This will include adjusting the amount of water, protein, and salt intake. Group 2 will have no adjustment of diet or water. The project has tremendous public health relevance, given the large numbers of people affected by autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease and the substantial impact of the disease on morbidity, mortality, hospitalizations,dialysis or transplant, and societal costs of caring for those patients.