Which condition is a common example of a cause of renal failure besides diabetes and hypertension?

• A. Lupus
• B. AIDS
• C. Drug toxicity
• D. Polycystic kidney disease

Answer: (D)

Renal failure can arise from a variety of conditions, and when you set aside diabetes and high blood pressure, inherited and systemic diseases often come into play. Polycystic kidney disease is a hereditary disorder in which numerous fluid-filled cysts form in the kidneys. These cysts grow over time and replace normal kidney tissue, steadily reducing filtration and leading to chronic kidney disease and eventually kidney failure. Because it is a common genetic cause of ESRD, it stands out as a classic example beyond diabetes and hypertension.

Other options can affect the kidneys—such as lupus causing nephritis, HIV-related kidney disease, or kidney injury from drugs—but they are not as typically highlighted as a non-diabetic, non-hypertensive cause of progressive renal failure as PKD.