Acute Kidney Injury Flashcards
Function of kidneys
Body fluid homeostasis - urine production Regulation of vascular tone - BP Excretory function - urea - creatinine - drugs Electrolyte homeostasis - Na, K, Cl, Ca, P Acid base homeostasis - H+ - bicarbonate Endocrine function - Erythropoietin - Vit D metabolism - Renin
Traditional definition of acute renal failure
Rapid loss of glomerular filtration and tubular function over hours to days
What does retention or urea/creatinine show?
Failure of homeostasis
What is urea and creatinine excreted by?
The kidneys
What can small rises in creatinine cause?
Increased odds of death
Definition of acute kidney injury
Increase in serum creatinine
- By >26.5 umol/l (0.3mg/dl) within 48 hours OR
- to 1.5x baseline, which is known or presumed to have occurred within the prior 6 days
Urine volume <0.5ml/kg/h for 6 hours
Stages of AKI
AKI 1
AKI 2
AKI 3
What is AKI 1?
Serum creatinine - 1.5-1.9x baseline OR - 26.5 umol/l increase Urine output - < 0.5ml/kg/h for 6-12 hours
What is AKI 2?
Serum creatinine
- 2.0-2.9 x baseline
Urine output
- <0.5 ml/kg/h for >12 hours
What is AKI 3?
Serum creatinine - 3x baseline OR - Increase to >354 umol/l (and above) OR - initiation of RRT Urine output - < 0.3ml/kg/h > 24 hours OR - Anuria for > 12 hours
Stages of AKI
Antecedents - normal - increased risk Intermediate stage - Damage AKI - Decreased GFR - kidney failure Outcomes - death - complications
What are the stages of AKI defined as?
Creatinine
Urine output
How many hospital admissions are complicated by AKI?
1 in 7
What are the immediately dangerous consequences of AKI?
AEIOU A - acidosis E - Electrolyte imbalance I - Intoxication TOXINS O - overload U - uraemic complications
Mortality of dialysis requiring-AKI in hospital
45-75%
Mortality of non dialysis AKI stages
AKIN 1 - 8%
AKIN 2 - 25%
AKIN 3 - 33%
What is the blood values where you would act on AKI?
Rise in serum creatinine >50% baseline
Baseline creatinine of 80umol/L
Rises to 120umol/L (may still be in normal range)
Significant kidney injury
Pathological causes of AKI
Pre renal - blood flow to kidney
Renal (intrinsic) - damage to renal parenchyma
Post renal - obstruction to urine exit
Causes of intrinsic AKI
Acute tubular injury - prolonged pre renal AKI - rhabdomyosis - haemoglobuineria - nephrotoxins (Iodinated contrast, NSAIDs, gentamicin) snake venom, heavy metals Mushrooms Acute tubular necrosis (ATN) Tubulointestinal injury Acute Glomerulonephritis Myeloma Vasculitis - Lupus - ANCA associated Thrombotic microangiopathy
Causes of pre renal AKI
Sepsis Hypovolaemia - haemorrhage - burns - vomiting/diarrhoea - diuretics Hepatorenal syndrome Cardiac failure Liver failure Hypotension - medications
Causes of post renal AKI
Kidney stones Clot Sloughed papilla Prostatic hypertrophy Tumours Ureteric stricture Retroperitoneal / radiation fibrosis RPF
Commonest cause of AKI
Poor perfusion leading to established tubular damage
Pathology of pre renal AKI
Failure of the circulation (loss of volume and/or pressure) to provide sufficient plasma flow to maintain blood chemistry and fluid balance
Outcomes of pre renal AKI
If promptly treated, can resolve
If sustained, may lead to acute tubular necrosis
Why are the kidneys susceptible to hypoperfusion?
Blood supply
Oxygenation
Metabolic demand
Perfusion of kidneys
Cortex richly perfused
Medulla receives around 10-15% of renal blood flow
Does the kidney have the potential to regenerate following an acute kidney injury?
Yes
Pathology of initiation of AKI
Exposure to toxic/ischaemic insult
Renal parenchymal injury evolving
AKI potentially preventable
Pathology of maintenance of AKI
Established parenchymal injury
Usually maximally oliguric now
Typical duration 1 - 2 weeks (up to several months)
Pathology of recovery of AKI
Gradual increase in urine output
Fall in serum creatinine (may lag behind diuresis)
If GFR recovers quicker than tubule resorptive capacity, excess diuresis may result (e.g. post obstructive natriuresis)
What is radiocontrast nephropathy (RCN)?
AKI following administration of iodinated contrast agent
Presentation of RCN
Transient renal dysfunction
Resolving after 72 hours
What may RCN lead to?
Permanent loss of function
Risk factors for RCN
DM Renovascular disease Impaired renal function Paraprotein High volume of radiocontrast
What is myeloma?
A monoclonal proliferation of plasma cells producing an excess of immunoglobulins and light chains
Who is myeloma common in?
Elderly
Presentation of myeloma
Anaemia Back pain Weight loss Fractures Infections Cord compression Marked elevated ESR Hypercalcaemia
Investigations of myeloma
Bone marrow aspirate > 10% clonal plasma cells
Serum paraprotein +/- immunoparesis
Urinary Bence-Jones Protein (BJP)
Skeletal survery - lytic lesions
Pathology of renal failure in myeloma
Cast nephropathy 'myeloma kidney' Light chain nephropathy Amyloidosis Hypercalcaemia Hyperuricaemia
Investigations of AKI
Fluid status Drugs Insults Renal failure Urine dipstick FBC USS Blood gas Renal biopsy Renal USS
What is better than treatment for AKI?
Prevention
At risk events for AKI occuring
Sepsis (e.g. pneumonia, cellulitis, UTI etc)
Toxins (e.g. X ray contrast, NSAIDs, gentamicin, herbal remidies)
Hypotension
Hypovolaemia
Major surgery
Causes of hypovolaemia
Haemorrhage
Vomiting
Diarrhoea
Risk factors for AKI
Age > 75 Previous AKI Heart failure Liver disease Chronic kidney disease DM Vascular disease Cognitive impairment