Lecture 3 - case study

Question 1

What can predispose people to disease?

Answer 1

Structural abnormalities can impact on normal function

Question 2

Is it okay if a kidney is lost?

Answer 2

In general its fine if one kidney is lost and the other one is normal. The overall impact will be normal.

Question 3

What innervates the kidneys?

Answer 3

The sympathetic arm of the ANS which is mostly involved in regulating vasomotor tone.

Question 4

What happens if there is increased sympathetic output to the kidney?

Answer 4

Decreased blood flow and increased Na+ reabsorption.

Question 5

What innervates the ureter and the bladder?

Answer 5

Both arms of the ANS

Question 6

Symptoms of an upper acute UTI?

Answer 6

• feeling unwell
• fever
• pain / tenderness
• sometime lower UTI symptoms

Question 7

Symptoms of a lower acute UTI?

Answer 7

• dysuria (painful pee)
• frequency of peeing
• smell
• haematuria

Question 8

What does an upper UTI involve?

Answer 8

involves the kidney

Question 9

What are the causes of a UTI?

Answer 9

• most common is due to bacteria
• E. coli (85 % of infections)
• in the elderly and immunocompromised - lactobacilli and staphyloccal
• can get sepsis due to an ascending infection

Question 10

Is it normal for bugs to be in urine?

Answer 10

yes but common contaminant problem when over 10^5/ml

Question 11

How is the UT protected from infection?

Answer 11

Anatomy and normal renal function

Question 12

How do you diagnose a UTI?

Answer 12

urinalysis and cultures

Question 13

What is a vesicoureteric reflux?

Answer 13

It is caused by alteration to vesicoureteric junction:

• short tube
• loss of valve like function - reflex
• diagnosed by demonstration and ultrasound
• important to diagnose this because a recurrent infection can lead to permanent kidney damage
• reflux nephropathy is inherited