NEPHROLOGY Flashcards
Interstitial Kidney Disease Acute Tubular Necrosis Renal Tubular Acidosis
Define interstitial nephritis
Interstitial nephritis is a term used to describe a situation where there is inflammation of the space between cells and tubules (the interstitium) within the kidney.
How many types of interstitial nephritis is there and what are they?
- Acute interstitial nephritis
- Chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis
What is acute interstitial nephritis?
There is acute inflammation of the tubules and interstitium
What is usually the cause of acute interstitial nephritis?
Acute interstitial nephritis is usually caused by a hypersensitivity reaction to drugs (NSAIDs or antibiotics) or infection
How does acute interstitial nephritis usually present?
Usually presents with an AKI and hypertension.
Features of a generalised hypersensitivity reaction can accompany the AKI:
- rash
- fever
- eosinophilia
How is acute interstitial nephritis usually managed?
Treating the underlying cause
Steroids have a role in reducing inflammation and improving the recovery
How does chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis usually present?
With CKD
What are the possible causes of chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis?
- autoimmune
- infectious
- iatrogenic
- granulomatous
How should chronic tubulointerstital nephritis be managed?
Treat the underlying cause
Steroids have a role when guided by a specialist
Where is the inflammation in acute interstitial nephritis?
Where is the inflammation in chronic tubulointerstitial nephritis?
BOTH have inflammation in the
tubules AND interstitium
What is acute tubular necrosis?
necrosis of the epithelial cells of the renal tubules due to ischeamia or toxins
Discuss the recovery in acute tubular necrosis
The epithelial cells have the ability to regenerate making acute tubular necrosis reversible.
It usually takes between 7 and 21 days to recover.
What are the two causes of necrosis in acute tubular necrosis?
What can cause these?
Ischaemia can occur secondary to hypoperfusion in:
- shock
- sepsis
- dehydration
Direct damage from toxins can occur due to:
- radiology contrast dye
- Gentamicin
- NSAIDs
- Lithium
- Heroin
What investigations would you carry out for acute tubular necrosis?
Urinalysis
‘muddy brown casts’ = pathognomonic
What investigation finding is pathognomonic of acute tubular necrosis?
‘muddy brown casts’ on urinalysis
How do you manage acute tubular necrosis?
Same as other causes of AKI:
- Supportive management
- IV fluids
- Stop nephrotoxic medications
- Treat complications
What are the different types of renal tubular acidosis?
Which is the most common?
Types 1-4
Types 4 is the most common
What is renal tubular acidosis?
where there is a metabolic acidosis due to pathology in the tubules of the kidney
What are the tubules responsible for in the kidney?
The tubules are responsible for balancing the hydrogen and bicarbonate ions between the blood and ruine and maintaining a normal pH.
What is the pathophysiology in Type 1 Renal Tubular Acidosis?
Renal tubular acidosis type 1 is due to pathology in the distal tubule.
The distal tubule is unable to excrete hydrogen ions.
What are the different possible causes of renal tubular acidosis type 1?
- genetic. there are both autosomal dominant and recessive forms
- SLE
- Sjogrens syndrome
- primary biliary cirrhosis
- hyperthyroidism
- sickle cell anaemia
- Marfan’s syndrome
How might renal tubular acidosis type 1 present?
- failure to thrive in children
- hyperventilation (to compensate for the metabolic acidosis)
- CKD
- bone disease (osteomalacia)
What blood and urinalysis results would you expect in someone with type 1 renal tubular acidosis?
- hypokalaemia
- metabolic acidosis
- high urinary pH (above 6)
What is the management of someone with type 1 renal tubular acidosis?
Treatment is with oral bicarbonate
This corrects the other electrolyte imbalances as well as the acidosis
What is the pathophysiology of type 2 renal tubular acidosis?
Type 2 renal tubular acidosis is due to pathology in the proximal tubule.
The proximal tubule is unable to resorb bicarbonate from the urine to the blood. Excessive bicarbonate is excreted in the urine.
(type 2… b is the second letter of the alphabet)
What is the main cause of type 2 renal tubular acidosis?
Discuss.
Fanconi’s syndrome
A genetic condition commonly associated with Ashkenazi Jews
Causes bone marrow failure, acute myeloid leukaemia and other cancers.
Features such as cafe au lait spots, certain facial features and an absence of the radius bone bilaterally.
Discuss Fanconi’s syndome
Fanconi’s syndrome is the main cause of type 2 renal tubular acidosis.
Associated with Ashkenazi Jews
Causes bone marrow failure, acute myeloid leukaemia and other cancers.
Features include cafe au lait spots, certain facial features and an absence of radius bone bilaterally.
What bloood and urinalysis results would you expect for a patient with Type 2 renal tubular acidosis?
- hypokalaemia
- metabolic acidosis
- high urinary pH (above 6)