AKI & Acute Kidney Failure Flashcards
Urea is naturally produced when the liver breaks down protein or amino acids, and ammonia. The kidneys then transfer the urea from the blood to the urine.
(protein meal = high urea but normal creatinine in blood )
What is the name given to when there is rising blood urea& creatinine in response to low gfr?
AZOTAEMIA
= rising blood urea & creatinine in response to low GFR
What are the ssx uraemia in the CNS?
- encephalopathy
- fits
- twitch or tremor
- tiredness
What other neurological signs do you get from uraemia e.g. not in CNS?
you get peripheral neuropathy
What are the GI symptoms of uraemia?
anorexia (loss of appetite & weight)
N&V
colitis
metallic taste
alitosis
What lung/heart conditions can uraemia cause?
-
Lung:
- Pleuritis
- pleural effusion
-
Heart:
- pericarditis
What endocrine symptoms can uraemia cause?
growth retardation,
sexual dysfunction
What skin manefestations can uraemia cause?
pruritus
half-and-half nails (found in CKD)
What effects does uraemia have on the blood?
it is pro-haemorrhagic
= impaired platelet function
The diagnosis of uraemia requires 2 components, what are these?
-
Azotaemia
- (rising blood urea & creatinine in response to low GFR)
- SSx uraemia
- (CNS: encephalopathy, fits, twitch or tremor, tiredness
- Peripheral neuropathy
- GI: anorexia (loss of appetite & weight), N&V, colitis, metallic taste, halitosis
- Pleuritis, pleural effusion
- Pericarditis
- Endocrine: growth retardation, sexual dysfunction
- Skin: pruritus, “half-and-half” nails
- PRO-HAEMORRHAGIC - impaired platelet function)
As uraemia diagnosis requires rising blood urea & creatinine in response to low GFR (azotaemia) and Ssx uraemia…
Causes of uraemia can be pre-prenal, renal and post renal, what are the pre-renal causes of uraemia?
- Increased hepatic production urea
- (GI haemorrhage “protein meal”, diet, protein catabolism)
- Increased renal reabsorption
- (any cause of reduced renal perfusion)
- Iatrogenic (
- drug therapy e.g. tetracyclines, corticosteroid)
As uraemia diagnosis requires rising blood urea & creatinine in response to low GFR (azotaemia) and Ssx uraemia…
Causes of uraemia can be pre-prenal, renal and post renal, what are the pre-renal causes of uraemia?
- Acute/ chronic renal failure
- Any cause of urinary outflow obstruction
What is the definition of acute kidney injury?
- TUBULAR CELL INJURY/DEATH means the bits drop into the TUBULAR LUMEN & cause obstruction
- (renal tubular cells are in the collecing duct)
- tubular cell injury/death is common as kidneys are vulnerable to hypoxia & toxic injury
Rise in creatinine 1.5x from baseline (or >26.4umol/L in 48h) and/or decreased urine output (<0.5mL/kg for >6hrs)
What scoring system is used to define the level of AKI?
RIFLE
RIFLE scoring system is used to define AKI stages. What criteria does it use?
creatinine rise and urine output
Pt X’s urine rise is 2-3x from baseline and their GFR has decreased >50%.
Their urine output has been at <0.5mL/kg for >12 hours.
What RIFLE stage is their kidney injury at?
Stage 2 = injury
Pt X’s urine rise is 1.5-1.9x from baseline and their GFR has decreased >35%.
Their urine output has been at <0.5mL/kg for >6 hours.
What RIFLE stage is their kidney injury at?
Stage 1 = Risk
Pt X’s urine rise is >3x from baseline and their GFR has decreased >75%.
Their urine output has been at <0.3mL/kg for >24 hours / anuric for 12 hours.
What RIFLE stage is their kidney injury at?
Stage 3 - failure
When is kidney “loss” described?
complete loss of renal function >4wks
–> end stage renal disease (ESRD)
e.g. in ESRD they have stopped working well enough for you to survive without dialysis or a kidney transplant
What are the pre-renal causes of AKI?
- If there is Decreased renal blood flow & impaired renal tissue oxygenation
- → afferent arteriole vasodilation (PGs) & efferent vasoconstriction (ang II) [to keep blood in the kidney to filter it–> bloodstream]
- → Na & water retention
The decreased renal BF & impaired renal tissue oxygenation is caused by:
- Hypovolaemia
- Decreased effective volume
- RAS
-
Altered intrarenal haemodynamics - NSAIDs/ACEI/ARB interference
- nsaids affect the afferent arteriole
- ACEi and ARB affect the efferent arteriole - ACEi blocks the enzyme making ang2 and ARB blocks ang2 effects in the body via the receptor
What are the renal causes of AKI?
Nephrotoxins
→ drugs e.g. NSAIDs, aminoglycosides, chemo agents, radiocontrast agents
→ haemolysis or rhabdomyolysis
→allergic reaction to drugs e.g. ampicillin, rifampicin
- Acute tubular necrosis (ATN)
- Acute interstitial nephritis (inflam of ecm&fluid around tubules - used in f&e exchang. & kidney endocrine)
- Acute glomerulonephritis (inflam and prolif of glomeruli)
- Vascular (small & large vessel diseases)
What are the post-renal causes of AKI?
- obstructuve uropathy ~10% - important to rule out as obstruction can be relieved easily once dx made.
- Ureteric obstruction
- Luminal e.g. stones, clots
- Mural (attached/limited to a wall) e.g. malignancy, strictures, BPH
- Extra-mural e.g. pelvic malignancy, retroperitoneal fibrosis
- Urinary bladder outflow tract obstruction
What do ischaemia, sepsis, nephrotoxins & prostate disease all have in common?
*ischaemia, sepsis, nephrotoxins (& prostate disease) all cause AKI
What are the RFs for AKI?
- Age: >75yrs,
- Medical conditions: CKD, HF, PVD, chronic liver disease, DM, newly started drugs, sepsis,
- Other: poor fluid intake/increased losses,
- hx urinary symptoms
In AKI the general symptoms are variable and non-specific e.g. N&V, tiredness, lethargy –
a hx of decreased urine output is useful… it is important though to make note if pt is volume depleted or volume overloaded…
How can you check if a patient is volume depleted or volume voerloaded?
do a lying standing BP
What symptoms may you get in pre-renal inury?
NB: pre renal causes maybe:
- Hypovolaemia
- Decreased effective volume
- RAS
- Altered intrarenal haemodynamics - NSAIDs/ACEI/ARB interference
-
(volume depletion & hypotension);
- D&V,
- dizziness,
- weakness
- hx bleeding
What symptoms may you get in drug induced-renal inury?
- hx for
- ACEIs,
- ARBs,
- chemo,
- aminoglycosides,
- penicillin’s,
- other antibiotics;
- joint pains & erythematous skin rash (allergic interstitial nephritis)