Acute kidney injury Flashcards
What is classified as acute kidney injury
<48 hours reduction in kidney function = increase in serum creatinine by >26.4 µm/l or by >50% or reduction in urine output
What are the types of causes of AKI
Prerenal
Intrinsic (renal)
Post-renal
What is the pre renal cause of AKI
Impaired blood flow to the kidney = reduction in perfusion
What conditions can cause pre renal AKI
Hypovolaemia - haemorrhage / burns / vomiting / diarrhoea
Hypotension
Drugs - ACEi, ARB, NSAID, COX-2
Renal artery stenosis
What conditions can cause hypotension
Sepsis
Anaphylaxis
Cardiogenic shock
What are the drugs that can cause pre renal AKI
NSAID
COX-2
ACEi
ARB
How does ACEi cause pre-renal AKI
Because ACEi causes vasodilation of the efferent arteriole hence prevents vasoconstriction as a compensatory mechanism for low perfusion pressure (which leads to low perfusion)
How does NSAID cause pre-renal AKI
It causes vasoconstriction of the afferent arteriole = reduction in perfusion
What is the renal cause of AKI
Diseases that causes inflammation or damage to cells of the kidney structures - glomeruli, tubules, interstitium of kidneys
What causes intrinsic (renal) AKI
Glomerulonephritis
Acute tubular necrosis
Acute interstitial nephritis
Drugs (damage tubules and interstitium)
Contrast exposure (from imaging)
Rhabdomyolysis (damage tubules)
What can be damaged through contrast exposure
Tubules
What causes acute tubular necrosis
Sepsis
Severe dehydration -> shock
Rhabdomyolysis
Drug toxicity
Contrast exposure
Which drug can cause acute tubular necrosis
Gentamicin
What conditions can cause interstitial nephritis
TB infection
Sarcoidosis
What is the post renal cause of AKI
due to obstruction of urine flow leading to back pressure and thus loss of concentrating ability
What conditions causes post renal AKI
Ureteric stone
Urinary retention caused by benign prostatic hyperplasia / malignancy
External compression of the ureter
Which type of causes of AKI is the most common
Pre-renal
Which condition is the most common cause of AKI
Acute tubular necrosis
Risk factors of AKI
Other organ failure - HF, liver disease
History of AKI
Chronic kidney disease
>65 years old
Use of nephrotoxic drugs
Contrast exposure within the past week
What are the nephrotoxic drugs
NSAID
ACEi / ARB
Aminoglycosides (gentamicin, streptomycin)
Diuretics
Symptoms of AKI
May experience no symptoms
Reduced urine output
Pulmonary and peripheral oedema
Arrhythmias
Uraemia symptoms (itch, pericarditis, encephalopathy)
What are the uraemia symptoms
Itch
Pericarditis
Encephalopathy
What is the diagnostic criteria of AKI
Rise in creatinine of 26 µmol/L or more in 48 hours
OR
> 50 % rise in creatinine over 7 days
OR
Fall in urine output to <0.5 ml/kg/hour for more than 6 hours in adults (8 hours in children)
OR
> 25% fall in eGFR in children or young adults in 7 days
What is the staging criteria used for AKI
KDIGO (Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes)
Describe stage 1 AKI
Increase in creatinine to 1.5-1.9 times baseline
OR
Increase in creatinine by ≥26.5 µmol/L
OR
Reduction in urine output to <0.5 mL/kg/hour for ≥ 6 hours
Describe stage 2 AKI
Increase in creatinine to 2.0 to 2.9 times baseline
OR
Reduction in urine output to <0.5 mL/kg/hour for ≥12 hours
Describe stage 3 AKI
Increase in creatinine to ≥ 3.0 times baseline
OR
Increase in creatinine to ≥353.6 µmol/L
OR
Reduction in urine output to <0.3 mL/kg/hour for ≥24 hours
OR
The initiation of kidney replacement therapy
OR
In patients <18 years, decrease in eGFR to <35 mL/min/1.73 m2
Investigations for AKI
Bloods - U+E, serum creatinine
Arterial blood gas
Urinalysis
Renal ultrasound if suspect urinary tract obstruction / no other identifiable cause
Autoantibodies
ECG
CXR
What may arterial blood gas show in AKI
Hypoxia if there is pulmonary oedema
What may ECG show in AKI
Hyperkalaemia
- tall T waves
- wide QRS
- Flattening of P waves
What electrolyte imbalance does AKI cause
Hyperkalaemia
Hyperphosphataemia
Acidosis
Management of AKI
ABCDE
- correct hypoxia / hyperkalaemia / hypovolaemia / sepsis
Identify which type of AKI it is and treat
Management of pre-renal AKI
give fluids if the patient is hypovolaemic
- 0.9% NaCl
give IV antibiotics if the patient is septic
Correct hyperkalaemia
Stop nephrotoxic drugs.
What are the nephrotoxic drugs that should be stopped in AKI
NSAID (except aspirin at cardiac protective dose 75mg)
Aminoglycosides
ACEi
ARB
Diuretics
What are the drugs that may be required to be stopped in AKI because it increases risk of toxicity (it is not nephrotoxic)
Metformin
Lithium
Digoxin
How do you correct hyperkalaemia
- IV calcium gluconate
- IV insulin + dextrose / Nebulised salbutamol
- Calcium resonium / loop diuretics / dialysis
How is calcium resonium adminsitered in treating hyperkalaemia
Enema / orally
Enema is more effective