Intro to Acute Renal Failure and Clearance Flashcards
What endogenous substance is good for approximating GFR?
GFR is most commonly estimated by measuring clearance of creatinine. Creatinine is a nonenzymatic breakdown product of creatine that exists in high and fairly stable concentrations in human muscle as well as some other tissues. Creatinine production reflects muscle mass. In healthy young adults, the daily creatinine production (and therefore, excretion) is 18-22 mg/kg/day in men and approximately 85% of that or 15-19 mg/kg/day in women. Creatinine is freely filtered by the glomerulus, is not reabsorbed, but is secreted to a variable degree. Therefore, the clearance of creatinine tends to overestimate GFR by about 10-20%. Nevertheless, creatinine clearance is the clinical test usually used to measure GFR.
Why don’t we use urea for approximating GFR?
Urea is reabsorbed in the terminal portion of the collecting duct so if you use urea to estimate, you are consistently underestimating GFR.
What 3 things make a substance viable for approximating GFR clearance?
- It is freely filtered by the nephron
- It is not reabsorbed anywhere along the course of the nephron
- It does not enter into urine via secretion.
True or False: We use creatinine clearance as a surrogate for GFR
True
The excretion/liberation of creatinine into the blood is _____ and based on _____ _____.
constant, body weight.
Men excrete approximately 20mg/kg/day while women excrete approximately 17mg/kg/day.
When can you use serum creatinine to estimate GFR clearance?
Please note that all GFR estimating methods require the patients to remain in a steady state. They are all invalid when the creatinine changes (e.g. creatinine increases from 1 -> 2 -> 3 -> 4 mg/dL).
Creatinine is being liberated into the blood (from muscles) at a constant rate and only when creatinine excretion is constant and equal to the rate of liberation is plasma creatinine stable and useful for estimating GFR.
What is the Cockcroft and Gault formula? What is it used for?
*memorize this equation. you will have to use it on the exam*
The cockcroft and gault formula is used for estimating creatinine clearance.
Creatinine clearance = [( A ) x ( 140-age ) x weight] / ( 72 x SCr )
- A = 1 if male, 0.85 if female
- Creatinine clearance is in ml/min
- Age is in years
- Weight is in kg
- Serum creatinine is in mg/dL
What is the difference between internal and external balance?
Internal balance refers to shifts between intra and extracellular fluid spaces. External balance refers to intake from outside and output to the outside.
What is a typical GFR for men? how about for women?
Men : 115-125 ml/min
Women : 90-100 ml/min
What are the 2 clinical measurements of GFR?
Plasma-based estimate of GFR, Urine-based estimate of GFR
How is plasma creatinine used to estimate renal function?
Under steady state conditions, a rising plasma creatinine indicates worsening renal function. Plasma creatinine is typically measured on a daily basis for inpatients and at every clinic visit for outpatients. By following the trend in the plasma creatinine, one can estimate whether renal function is improving, stable or declining.
What equation is used with urine-based estimates of GFR?
*memorize this equation. you will have to use it on the exam*
ClCr = (UCr) V/ PCr
Plasma creatinine (PCr) from the blood draw; urine creatinine (UCr) measured on a sample from the 24-hour urine collection; and urine flow rate (V) obtained by dividing the volume of urine collected by 24 hours (1440 minutes).
A patient is found to have a plasma creatinine of 2.0 mg/dL and a 24 hr urine volume of 1,500 ml with a urinary creatinine concentration of 100 mg/dL (100 mg/l00 ml). Calculate the creatinine clearance. What would the creatinine clearance be if the patient’s creatinine rose to 4.0 mg/dL (assuming that the patient was again in creatinine balance)? In steady state, what is the 24 hr urinary creatinine excretion when the plasma creatinine is 4.0 mg/dL?
ClCr = (UCr) V/ PCr
= 1,500ml/24 hrs x 100mg/dL / 2.0mg/dL
= 75,000ml/24hrs x 24hrs/1440minutes (remember that there are 1440 minutes in 24 hours)
= 52 ml/min
If the serum creatinine increased to 4.0 mg/dL in a steady state, creatinine clearance would be 26 ml/min.
= 1,500ml/24 hrs x 100mg/dL / 4.0mg/dL
= 37,500ml/24hrs x 24hrs/1440minutes
= 26 ml/min
Even with the plasma creatinine of 4.0 mg/dL, the creatinine excretion rate is the same as before.
What determines Single nephron glomerular filtration rate (SNGFR)? (5)
Starling forces
- Glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure (PGC)
- Glomerular capillary oncotic pressure (πGC)
- Tubular hydrostatic pressure (PT)
- Oncotic pressure in the tubule (πT)
- A term that takes into account the surface area and permeability of the glomerular capillary membrane (Kf)
True or False: When calculating for SNGFR, it is typically assumed that oncotic pressure in the tubule (πT) is equal to zero.
True. Because the glomerulus generally acts as an effective filtration barrier for proteins, we can generally assume that the oncotic pressure in the tubule (πT) is zero.
True or False: SNGFR is proportional to PGC
True!
Because the glomerulus generally acts as an effective filtration barrier for proteins, we can generally assume that the oncotic pressure in the tubule (πT) is zero. Furthermore, alterations in PT or πGC are generally modest and usually not clinically relevant. Therefore, in normal individuals under physiologic conditions, PGC controls SNGFR the most and SNGFR is proportional to PGC.
_____ is influenced by afferent and efferent arteriolar tone.
PGC (glomerular capillary hydrostatic pressure)
Constriction of the _____ arteriolar segment causes reductions in PCG while constriction of the _____ arteriolar segment causes increases in PCG.
afferent, efferent
It is important to understand that GFR is “kept up” or maintained by vasodilation of the afferent arteriole and by vasoconstriction of the efferent arteriole.
The vasodilation of the afferent arteriole is mainly achieved through the effects of _____ and _____. The vasoconstriction of the efferent arteriole is mainly achieved through the effects of _____.
prostaglandins (E2 and I2) and nitric oxide – vasodilate afferent arteriole
angiotensin II – vasoconstrict efferent arteriole
True or False: Inhibition of prostaglandins (NSAIDs) or angiotensin II (ACE-I or ARBs) can reduce GFR or even cause acute renal failure.
True
What does decreasing afferent arteriolar resistance do to GFR? What can do this? (3)
GFR goes up.
Nitric oxide, prostaglandins E2 and I2, high protein diet/amino acids
What does increasing afferent arteriolar resistance do to GFR? What can do this? (5)
GFR decreases.
NSAIDs, adenosine, norepinephrine, endothelin, thromboxane
What does decreasing efferent arteriolar resistance do to GFR? What can do this? (2)
GFR decreases.
ACE inhibitors, ARBs
What does increasing efferent arteriolar resistance do to GFR? What can do this? (1)
GFR increases.
Angiotensin II
What is acute kidney injury (AKI)?
Rapid reduction in glomerular filtration rate manifested by a rise in plasma creatinine (Pcr) concentration, urea, and other nitrogenous waste products.
What is azotemia?
Azotemia is increased nitrogen in the blood. (e.g. blood urea nitrogen and serum creatinine are increased)
What are the 3 broad types of disorders that can cause AKI?
- Pre-renal azotemia - a decrease in GFR due to decreases in renal plasma flow and/or renal perfusion pressure.
- Post-renal azotemia or obstructive nephropathy - a decrease in GFR due to obstruction of urine flow.
- Intrinsic renal disease - a decrease in GFR due to direct injury to the kidneys (may be due to a variety of insults)
What is uremia?
Uremia refers to the constellation of signs and symptoms of multiple organ dysfunction caused by retention of “uremic toxins” and lack of renal hormones due to acute or chronic kidney injury
What are symptoms of uremia? (6)
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Weakness
- Fatigue
What is oliguria?
Urine volume is less than 400 ml/24 hours in a normal sized adult
What is anuria?
Urine volume is less than 50 ml/24 hours in a normal sized adult.
What is the most common cause of AKI?
A. Pre-renal causes
B. Renal causes
C. Post-renal causes
Pre-renal causes (60-70% of cases)
Why is a high rate of renal blood flow important? (2)
- to maintain GFR
- to maintain renal oxygen supply required for ion transport
What is the most common cause of an abrupt fall in GFR in a hospitalized patient?
Prerenal azotemia (a decrease in GFR due to decreases in renal plasma flow and/or renal perfusion pressure)
True or False: pre-renal azotemia is an issue of hypovolemic states
False!
Be careful not to associate pre-renal azotemia with only hypovolemia because there are certain hypervolemic states that can cause pre-renal azotemia (e.g. congestive heart failure and cirrhosis).
CHF and cirrhosis are characterized by a low EABV and reduced renal perfusion. Therefore, these conditions are classified as pre-renal even though they may cause hypervolemia.